Harassment is an ugly word. A word talked about with discomfort and in entire confidentiality. When it becomes public and then specific to some incident it assumes a new proportion. This proportion when multiplied has a value of becoming a subject that in today's world of "Chat Groups" creates noise that sometimes deafens its very meaning and purpose. However, no matter how loud and screaming it is the incidence of harassment in the world and in our society makes it mandatory that this taboo topic is now mainstreamed as a social evil that needs to be acknowledged, tackled and penalized.
Harassment is generally taken as sexual harassment and that too mostly at workplaces. However, it does include acts of discrimination that cause psychological disturbance in terms of racial discrimination, sexist remarks, offensive jokes and ethnic or religious slurs, etc. Why sexual harassment receives special treatment is as this is a hushed-up topic not just socially but personally. It is a matter of personal shame, fear and guilt that is not even many times acknowledged inwardly, leave aside being expressed openly. It has a very sleazy and slimy connotation to it and is normally kept under the table and locked in the secret self of individuals. Thus, when Hollywood spoke it was taken as a typical from the bedroom to the studio room pathway that is alleged on the movie industry. Lo and behold the horrifying details of Harvey Weinstein's abuse of his status gave the virility of the social media a chance to make it a discussion beyond the cinema industry.
Harvey Weinstein scandal grew more scandalous as more superstars from Hollywood confessed of sexual abuse by the same man. On October 5th 2017, New York Times investigation by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey revealed sexual harassment allegations against Mr. Weinstein dating back to 1990.
More women began to come forward with accusations of sexual harassment and assault against him. On October 10th, media hysteria started when actresses of the stature of Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie told The Times that they, too, had been harassed by Weinstein. As more woman confessed to his obscene conduct the discussion broke the boundaries of the movie industry and raised a lot of questions about the power of money and fame to attract more power and control regardless of how dirty it is.
The political world was forced to respond. Weinstein had funded Democrats including Barrack Obama and Hillary Clinton. They had to condemn him openly and thus the "MeToo" hash tag turned into a movement that has now created waves all around the world. What came in the open were two facts; firstly, it needs to be emphasized that the traditional definition of "Casting Couch" that symbolized the movie world is not traditional but pervasive; secondly, it is not limited to the world of cinema but to the world of corporations, government, non-government, or wherever human behavior fails to establish its humanity.
The corporate world has its own "Casting-Suite" that is known as C-Suite "privileges" where the perks of being a higher up in the authority also includes undue access to individual privacy verbally or physically. The dynamic head of Uber, the taxi industry disruption king, had become a role model for young, breaking the norm, challenging the conventions, aspiring leaders. Travis Kalanick, the CEO of Uber, is said to be one of the most sought after leaders in the corporate world whose meteoric rise to the top was gospel to corporate communication. His company was a case study of the new world order and his personality was a trend setter of the new kind on the corporate block-till an employee Susan Fowler broke her silence and wrote a shattering blog on her alleged sexual harassment. In a 3,000-word essay, Fowler detailed the "sexism" and "harassment" she faced at the company where she was a site reliability engineer for a year. Her essay, which detailed how her managers did little to rectify her issues, shed light on a system that protected high performers when accused of bad behavior like harassment.
Her essay set into motion a series of events that ultimately resulted in the ouster of Uber co-founder and CEO Travis Kalanick, as well as the termination of 20 or so employees who were accused of harassment or other issues.
This "MeToo" movement has actually given courage to people in cultures that are taboo on sexual harassment to speak on it. In Pakistan, the latest resignation of the CEO of Patari Khalid Bajwa in response to two twitter conversations about this alleged harassment are a result of this movement. One of the girls, alleged through a tweet that Bajwa always "graced her with unwelcome hugs" and said she felt "uncomfortable and overpowered" by being hugged by someone who was twice her age. She also claimed that she stopped replying to him and blocked him on social media. The fact that the company took an action is a fact that this issue has become a global issue that could cause severe backlash financially, legally and socially to the organization and its stakeholders.
Personally, the "MeToo" has been a speak up for individuals too. Pakistani celebrities like Freiha Altaf, Nadia Jamil and Maheen Khan confessing to being harassed in their childhood by servants or tutors is commendable as this will give courage to many others to come out with their negative memories. Sexual abuse and harassment are deep emotional wounds that if kept unhealed and untreated form psychological and physical tumours that inhibit the mental and physical health of people. It is absolutely essential that they are addressed at all levels.
Education on Harassment should be from an early age. In education syllabus of schools, colleges, universities the curriculum must include awareness about what constitutes harassment. Also counseling offices need to be established in schools and colleges to deal with harassment issues. Workplace harassment laws are there but their enforcement can become easier if groups are formed in offices to encourage people to speak about incidents that may be signals of pending harassment. Child sexual abuse is the most dangerous and that is where parents have to come out of their silence and hush up mode and communicate to children that it is not something to be hidden but something to be communicated as a violation of basic values and rights.
It is only when a holistic approach is adopted that includes all stakeholders and support groups that this issue will be minimized. What is required is a campaign of "UsToo" to create an enabling environment where not just those affected but their families, friends, colleagues step forward to own up the issue. It is only a united and integrated approach that will act as a deterrent to the harasser and an opportunity for the victims to live a full and normal life.
(The writer can be reached at andleeb.abbas1@gmail.com)