Why higher numbers of sexual misconduct reports is a good thing
I’ve noticed that people will often boast about organisations that have 0 sexual misconduct/sexual harassment issues. This boasting is usually based off of one statistic- the number of official reports filed. I would bet that if there are no reports being filed at all in your organisation, it doesn’t mean you’ve cracked the code on consent culture — it means people may not trust your response system, don’t know what the reporting mechanisms are, or are otherwise not feeling comfortable enough to report.
Rape culture impacts all of us and it is impossible to conceive of an organisation that isn’t impacted; organisations are made up of individuals and we have been socialized into accepting rape culture as reality (for a great primer on what rape culture is, check out this 3 minute video). It’s not wrong to admit that an organisation has issues with or reports of rape culture/harassment/assault; it’s accurate. It’s much more important to have robust mechanisms in place to respond to these issues than it is to pretend that they don’t exist.
The fact is, you want high(er) numbers. You want the people in your organisation to feel that they can report issues safely, without fear of retaliation, and with a belief that the organisation will take appropriate action. Staff are more likely to report issues of any kind when they trust the organisation and feel confident in its ability to respond effectively. Frequent reporting also helps the organisation to see what trends are developing and create interventions before issues become more widespread. It is better to have reports of all incidents, no matter their perceived intensity, then to have no reports and believe everything is perfect.
So, what can organisations do to encourage more reporting?
1. Have a policy — you need to actually have a sexual harassment/misconduct policy that is specifically named as such. This can be a standalone policy or part of a larger staff conduct policy; but it needs to be named explicitly. This lets staff know that the issue is taken seriously and provides them information they will need if they do choose to file a report.
2. Processes need to have forward momentum once started — a huge barrier to reporting is knowing that it might takes months or years to get an outcome for a case. When organisations are handling cases using their internal accountability methods, processes should be sped up. Ideally, a report can be made and an outcome delivered within 3–4 months (including any appeals process).
3. Appropriate and effective interim measures must exist — even if a process moves quickly, interim measures are often needed. Perhaps the report is from one staff member towards their supervisor. Or the staff involved are on a committee together or share an office space. Interim measures should be clearly explained to the staff involved, with an emphasis on allowing the person who made the report make their own requests as well.
4. Build trust and rapport — when someone makes a report about something traumatic such as sexual misconduct, they need to feel a sense of trust with the person they are submitting the report to. Teams that carry out the response functions should be well trained in receiving reports with sensitivity, providing support to all staff involved, and be well-known in the organisation. One way to do this would be to have open sessions/brown-bag lunch type events where the staff who administer the policies could share more about the process and answer any questions. This way, when an issue does arise, there have already been touchpoints and trust built up.
5. Encourage bystanders to make reports — while it’s important to not move reports forward unless the person who directly experienced it wants to, it can help to get a pulse on the organisation by encouraging bystander reporting. Bystanders might observe harassing behaviors but feel like it’s not their place to report it. Make sure that your policies allow for anonymous reports that can be filed away safely. This can help organisations to identify patterns that might exist with specific staff members.
6. Role model — managers, senior leadership, and others with power and hierarchy in the organisation should be role modeling appropriate behavior and bystander intervention. Supervisees and teams should be told directly that their managers and supervisors are comfortable with these conversations. Providing smaller staff meeting trainings or workshops on bystander intervention and sexual misconduct issues can indicate interest and care in this area.
7. Take all reports seriously — many organisations set a very high threshold for a report to turn into an actual case/accountability issue. This can inhibit people from reporting incidents that might seem “minor,” but that can still add up to an uncomfortable workplace or demonstrate a pattern of behavior amongst certain staff. Taking every report seriously, for things like one-off comments or brief touches, is extremely important towards developing a stronger consent culture overall.
Sexual harassment at work is a pervasive issue. According to a study done by AWARE & Ipsos, 2 out of 5 workers in the past 5 years in Singapore have reported sexual harassment at work. However, only 3 in 10 made any formal report, citing reasons such as not believing their experience was severe enough or a desire to forget about the incident. These issues are often known internally, and discussed amongst staff, but not reported formally. Encouraging reporting will ensure that potential frequent perpetrators of these acts are identified and action can be taken against them.
There are many barriers to reporting in addition to the ones noted above. It’s important for teams and organisations to break down those barriers as much as possible. Experiencing any form of sexual harassment or assault at work causes trauma to staff- this can result in them feeling unsafe in the workplace, leaving the organisation, and may have long-term effects on their emotional, mental and physical health. Creating a culture in which reporting and speaking out against these issues is seen as the norm allows staff to feel respected, welcomed and included in the workplace.
It’s time to shift away from the idea that when we don’t get reports in our organisation, it means these issues don’t exist. That culture will inhibit people from bringing forward their negative experiences at work and allows inappropriate behavior to continue. Instead, work to foster a culture where reporting is common, disclosures are taken seriously, and accountability is embraced for those who violate company policy.
For more information on how to write good policies, respond effectively to sexual harassment cases, and create a culture of consent at your organisation, please reach out to andrew@tridenttraining.co!
