Not Paid to be Fondled: Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

She sits with the phone cradled between her cheek and her shoulder, her pen poised to take down notes. The line rings and rings and her mind speeds through the documents that need to be finished, the presentations that need to be finalized. Suddenly, from behind, someone touches her near the armpit, that unnamed place at the back that is only a few inches near the actual boob. Forgetting the call and disgusted by the misplaced boldness of whoever the offending hand belongs to, she turns around and sees one of the managers grinning at her. "If I touch you there," he asks, "can you go to the GAD office to complain?" Keeping her face blank, but allowing disgust to be plainly visible on the curl of her lips, she spats with as much venom as she can manage, "Yes sir." She then turns away from the manager.

In a perfect world, once told that what they do is offensive, people apologize and stop. Unfortunately, this world isn't exactly all fluff and decency is often scarce. Sexual harassment is tolerated, even encouraged, not just on the streets, but in school and at the workplace. So much for professional environments meant to foster personal and professional growth. 

Consent is sexy, ladies and gentlemen.

What is Sexual Harassment? 

Sexual harassment is primarily characterized as unwanted sexual behavior. It includes unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other conduct sexual in nature. Sexual harassment can either be verbal, physical, or, in the advent of the internet, digital. So yes, sending inappropriate messages or pictures of your boobs and/or genitals are grounds for sexual harassment.

Sexual harassment can also happen at work and at school. According to Republic Act 7877 also known as the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995[1], work, education, or training-related sexual harassment is defined as, "committed by an employee, manager, supervisor, agent of employer, teacher, instructor, professor, coach, trainor, or any other person who, having authority, influence or moral ascendancy over another in a work or training or education environment demands, requests or otherwise requires any sexual favor from the other, regardless of whether the demand, request, or requirement for submission is accepted by the object of the said Act.” That’s a mouthful. But there’s more. RA 7877 also defines work-related sexual harassment as something that would result in an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment for the employee. What does that mean? 

Intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment means that:

a. The sexual favor is used as a condition for employment, promotion, favorable compensation, terms, promotions and privileges, and refusing the demand for sexual favor means saying good bye to all of these;

b. Refusal to give in to the demand of sexual favor will impair all the employee's rights as protected by the law; and

c. The act of sexual harassment simply makes the workplace unbearable and uncomfortable.

One thing you have to know about sexual harassment: The person who determines whether he or she has been harassed is always the victim, not the perpetrator. 

What are the forms of sexual harassment?[2]

1. Physical. This includes malicious touching, overt sexual advances, and gestures with lewd insinuations. So yes, please do not touch your female co-worker's almost-boobs and ask if you will be liable for sexual harassment - you are.

2. Verbal. Which includes, but are not limited to, requests or demands for sexual favors, and lurid remarks.

3. Use of objects, pictures, graphics, letters, or written notes with sexual underpinnings. Digital media included. Here is the deal: Unless with the consent of the other party, no, they do not want you to send dickfies and boob pics. (Oh, and props to the guy who first mentioned the word dickfies to me.)


What can be done to address sexual harassment?

1. Craft policies directed towards the prevention of sexual harassment, protection of the victim, promotion of due process, and punishment of the perpetrator. As someone who works in policy, I believe that the change will emanate in policy. Policies localizes all existing laws into the context of whichever organization. Without policies the organization will most likely stumble blindly when faced with the issue. 

Here are some stuff that policy makers might want to consider:

     a. It is important to consult the end users. As Michelle Decker of the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health once said, "Practice is the ceiling of policy". This means that no matter what is written if it isn't realistic enough to be done, if it is too complicated, or if it is just a whole load of codswallop, then the policy will just be another waste of oxygen-producing trees. Consultation should include reps from the management (who will enforce policy) to the regular employees (who will most likely utilize the policy) to ensure that all is amenable to the provisions. This strategy - participatory decision-making - is essential for the people of the company to have a sense of ownership and thus a higher rate of compliance.

     b. Get an expert on board. You can't shanama policies. They must be based on facts,  a true understanding of the problem, as well as the organizational peculiarities that may affect the implementation and impact of the policy. That is what you have experts for. These experts can come from different sectors - government, non-government organizations, the academe, even the health sector. It may cost a little more, but unless you want a policy just for the sake of having one, getting an expert's thumbs up is essential.

2. Promote gender equality and equity in the workplace. Like many cases of sexual abuse, sexual harassment is most likely an expression of power, or simply the general respect lack of respect for other people. Gender equality and equity are built upon the foundation of respect for other people 's rights, specifically for a safe workplace and acceptable working conditions. Being groped while in the middle of a high tension meeting is NOT acceptable working conditions. And on the subject of equality and equity, it must be noted that while a significant number of cases are that of women, men experience sexual harassment too. Thus, whatever intervention and support system made available to women should also be accessible by men.  

3. Creation of safe space. A safe space is somewhere where a victim of sexual harassment can proceed to and talk about the problem at hand without fear for privacy, breach of confidentiality, and even violent repercussions. This means that there has to be a 1) physical set-up to protect the victim from both physical hard and secondary victimization [3] and 2) personnel who are trained to handle these cases. The latter does not only require being well-versed in the company's policy on sexual  harassment, but also RA 7877. The personnel manning the safe spaces must be able to provide correct information to whoever needs it and can be called upon to educate employees on sexual harassment. Equally important, they must be able to exhibit sensitivity when dealing with victims of sexual harassment to avoid secondary victimization.

4. Don't be the creepy douche. And this applies to all genders. Respect is really quite easy. Seriously, it's not cute when you get to close. And when you're "feeling close" enough to grope someone or brush their behinds or comment on their boobs, please keep in mind that the one receiving your "friendly gestures" may not thing the same... and you know what? It's what that person thinks and feels that counts, not yours.

5. Remember: Men are NOT the enemy. Can we not fight for our rights as women while loving our counterparts? Of course we can. Besides, we must remember that sexual violence happens to men too. This is why instead of going against our counterparts, we must do our best to work with them. We must educate men on their rights to be free from sexual harassment. We must make available to our men the same support system that is available to women. We must ensure that we approach men's sexual harassment issues with the same sensitivity that we can apply to women. Want to abolish sexual harassment in the workplace? In society in general? Work together, instead of working apart.



Sexual harassment is a symptom of a greater problem: the power struggle between the powerful and perceived weaker party, not simply men and women. To address the symptom, we must address the cause. This blogpost is actually going to come out during the 18 day campaign against Violence Against Women, but the work goes beyond this period to achieve a #VAWfreePhilippines, a GBV-free country, This is a long and somewhat uphill battle, ladies and gentlemen. And we can win it by working together.#



Footnotes 

[1]Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995
[2] https://psa.gov.ph/content/q-sexual-harassment-cases
[3]Secondary victimization is defined as the negative social consequences experienced by the victims of sexual crimes

RC National Security Forum: Emerging Threats and Opportunities for Peace

On November 16, 2016, I spent a significant portion of my salary to run from my workplace in Manila (where I work as a self-proclaimed mermaid in Manila Bay) to Pasay, and then to Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. Along with a lost of money, I also kind of lost my inner peace. 

But let me tell you: I may have spewed out words so colorful that it would have made sailors blush, but braving the atrocious Manila traffic was so worth it.

I was fortunate enough to attend the Rotary International's National Security Forum, which was hosted by the Rotary Club of Holy Spirit, and held at the Civil Relations Service Multi-Purpose Hall. Various Rotary Club members, officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and civilians attended the event. Central to this gathering were the discussions on cybersecurity and the onging peace talks. The presentations were quite timely and relevant to the current atmosphere of national security. 

Here are, in my opinion, the highlights of the talks.:

"Status of Philippie Cybersecurity" by Pierre Tito Galla, PECE, Co-Founder and Co-Convenor, Democracy.net.ph 

The first topic of the evening is something that I have been (vehemently) advocating at work. Although I'm only as technically proficient as the next FB user, I think that we've seen enough sci-fi and action flicks to show us how much cyberattacks can screw up, well, everything. Engr. Pierre Tito Galla, co-founder and co-convenor of Democracy.net.ph, gave a quick run through of the fundamentals of cyberdefense and cybersecurity, as well as the various cases of cyberattacks, and enumerated the devastating effects of cyberattacks, which include damage to critical infrastructures, socioeconomic repercussions, and sociopolitical unrest, painting a realistic and terrifying picture, which left the audience dumbstruck. 

Amidst this discussion, half of my mental capacities were preoccupied with the importance of cybersecurity to national security in general. The other half was in bathing in the bitter reality of our current capability to protect our beloved motherland from cyberattacks (or the lack thereof), and that the only reason we don't have to go on full panic mode yet is the fact that our Internet sucks. Perhaps a proper metaphor is that  we're in deep, shark-infested waters, and all we can do is dog paddle. The good engineer put it in a much more eloquent manner, of course.

Since this topic requires a much longer discussion, I'll probably do a Part 2 of this blogpost. For now, if you, dear reader, are interested in the advocacies of Engr. Galla's group, you can check out their work at their website and follow their initiatives at their Facebook page.

"Challenges Facing Filipino Soldiers in the Renewed Negotiation for Peace" by Col Edgard A. Arevalo, Deputy Commander, Civil Relations Services, Armed Forces of the Philippines

Confession time: I very much admire the second speaker. Although I was only able to work with him for a short while during last year's Environmental Working Group, it was a joy to learn more about communication techniques just by listening to him. The second subject was presented by Col. Edgard A. Arevalo, Deputy Commander of the Civil Relations Services Armed Forces of the Philippines (CRS AFP). The talk zeroed in on the perspective of the AFP on the move of the government towards peace, particularly in dealing with the Communist Party of the Philippines, New People's Army, and the National Democratic Front (collectively called the CPP-NPA-NDF).

True to the hardcore legacy of the Philippine Marines, Col Arevalo began with these words: "I am a Filipino, a soldier, and I am ready to pay the price for peace, even if it means war." Needless to say, I was hooked. The Deputy Commander of the CRS then proceeded to discuss how the AFP is contributing to the peace process. Emphasis was placed on how the AFP is handling the ceasefire agreement with the CPP-NPA-CDF. Emphasized was placed on how the AFP, as a military institution, is completely supportive of the peace process but, in the words of the legendary Auror Alastor Moody, "CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" is always applied. Obedience, NOT blind obedience, from our military is required to ensure that the peace process does not fail. This means that the AFP monitors both the CPP-NPA-NDF and its men and women should there be any breach in the provisions of the ceasefire agreement. The AFP also continues to conduct civil military operations as part of its commitment to national progress, acting as a conduit and support for community development. This aspect ties in very nicely with the next talk.

For those who want to know more about what the CRS, check out their FB page to find out more about the cool stuff they do.

Speakers Col Arevalo and Engr. Galla with several ladies from the Rotary Club.

"DND's Roadmap Amidst the Prospects of a Conclusive Peace Talks" and "Updates on the GPH-NDF Peace Negotiations" by ASEC Teodoro Cirilo Torralba III, Plans and Programs, Office of the Secretary of Department of Defense

The final talk of the evening was delivered by ASEC Teodoro Cirilio Torralba, of the Plans and Programs of the Department of National Defense. He presented the Philippine Government's roadmap for the peace process, along with the progress we have been achieving. What is quite striking to me is that the roadmap's timeline is only for one year - no small feat, and, if achieved, a huge step to achieving lasting peace for the country. I am also quite happy with the the inclusion of socioeconomic reforms in order to develop vulnerable areas. In my opinion, this is an essential part of the peace process, as socioeconomic stability is essential to achieve peace, as well as sustain it. After all, one of the main catalysts for conflict is social inequality.

The Rotary Club's National Security Forum was a wonderful opportunity to learn and share insights on issues relevant to the lasting peace and sustainable development. Long story short: if there's ever another opportunity to attend another security forum by the RC, I'd love to participate. Manila traffic, bring it on.

Want to know more about the Rotary Club's advocacy for peace? Listen to them and their Subject Matter Expert in the radio show Rotary Hour, hosted by Col Gerardo Zamudio of the Philippine Airforce on DWDD 1134 kHz AM Katropa Radio.