On Sunday, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver covered workplace sexual harassment, an issue that has been in the national spotlight for the past few years now. Awareness surrounding this problem has been gaining steam because of the #MeToo movement, which led to many victims coming forward to share their experiences and resulted in many prominent men being ousted of leadership positions. The segment was excellent as it highlighted how creepy such behavior is, the all-to-common victim-blaming, and how toxic workplaces can be towards victims of sexual harassment. Oliver ended with an interview of Brandeis University law professor Anita Hill, who is famously known for accusing then-Supreme Court justice nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment. Hill provided insight during her interview about her experince, which ended up being a very relatable and frank conversation about what can be done to remedy current workplace sexual harassment.
Sexual harassment, both inside and outside the workplace, is a problem with many facets that need to be addressed. Hill reminded us that culture and men’s relationship to it needs to change.Yet, this this potential turning point for America has happened before in the 1990s and not enough has been done to fix sexual harassment since. It’s safe to say that while the men creating the toxic behavior remain power and we as a society only pay attention as long as it is media, the harassment will remain. Hill had an interesting solution. One that trains the bystander, citing that it can it can help influence a more compassionate culture. However, all employees of all levels must be involved and committed to establishing a new culture, including those in power.
Another thing that could be done is to make sure to hold harassers (and they themselves) accountable for their actions. Harassers need to understand how their actions were disrespectful, hurtful, and traumatizing to their victims. If harassers are left to thinking about how they wish they weren’t caught for their deeds, then the situation may continue to remain unchanged. Cultivating empathy is key to America making that elusive turning point. It won’t be easy to change culture, but it’s the only chance we have to stop history from repeating itself.
Be sure to check out John Oliver’s segment below!