Employee / Labor Relations

Minimizing Sexual Harassment?

Karen Mattonen Hits: 1693

A while ago I read a story today about a young girl who had been gang raped in her workplace. Over an extensive period of time she had advised her superiors at an international company about her concerns, expressing fear and concern for her safety; but to no avail.

After I read that story, I felt compelled to respond to a post on a recruiting online community. The author (Penelope Trunk) of the post had several other posts out regarding Sexual Harassment, including one called "what had you done “to” me recently." This particular article increasingly diminished the absolute frustration, humiliation and even horror that women go through with regards with harassment on the job, not all harassment is sexual. And sadly the comments that followed the article continued to put the onus on the person being harassed, rather than the harasser. Comments of the individual growing thick skin, or become more mature were being offered as solutions.

When I read the story of a young woman who at the Tender age of 20 went through a horrific experience of being brutally raped and had experienced tremendous harassment on the job. (ABC News) You can also read the case here; I wonder, where does harassment start? where does it end? When is no a no, or when is it just kidding around; and when is it that should H.R step in and say, enough! No is No?

Sure, we can say that this is different, this was an extreme situation, what generally is considered harassment, or with regards to this particular article is considered much more minor. We can't treat all reports the same. H.R has to be fair, and has to look at both sides. Gee, and sometimes women can grow some thick skin, and lighten up.

But, then I ask - Is there such a thing as MINOR harassment? or Minor Rape, or Minor Abuse?

When a Woman OR Man feels as though they are Not comfortable, or that their emotional or physical safety has been threatened, especially in an environment where they should feel Safe (the work environment). The very same environment where your boss is by Law imposed to create an emotional and physically Safe workplace, should that not be respected?

Harassment in the Work Place is NOT a laughing matter. Nor should it be an issue that should just be downplayed with blackmail, or extortion. (as was described by the author)

It is not something that should be forgotten, or just gotten over, maybe with a chill pill or something. The offenders will eventually get more perverse and controlling in their behaviors, and there is always going to be MORE than ONE victim. So it is imperative to Stop the offender from the very beginning

Yes, I am angry, and when I read this poor girls story, all I could think of was this post, which also undermined why I even interviewed Penelope Trunk in the first Place. P.Trunk also didn’t get it.. Instead, there was promotion of don’t complain because it may have a negative impact???

That was what KBG expected of this poor girl, they expected that if they intimidated her enough that she would not complain, and thankfully this girl stood up for her RIGHTS! She stood up for her right to Work, her Right to be treated fairly and equally as a human being in the work place

In my eyes.. this Girl is a Hero and those who trivialize Sexual Harassment in the work place and downplay it as a joke I say, GET A CLUE

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ABOUT KAREN MATTONEN, CAC, CSP

Karen Mattonen started a career in Human Resources when she served as a Recruiter for Snelling Corporation. Leveraging her tenure with Snelling, Karen founded Advanced Career Solutions in 1997 focusing on the HVAC and Mechanical Construction industry. Her reputation for excellence is echoed in the satisfaction of clients and candidates she has serviced nationwide. Furthermore, Karen is esteemed for sharing her expertise in Recruitment Education, Ethics and promoting self-regulation for the Recruiting industry.

She has a new and future-oriented vision of what recruiting can and should become: a profession we can be proud of for its ethical standing, professional conduct and ability to build great organizations. Her doing-well-by-doing-right philosophy is shaking up the status quo in an industry that needs to be shaken. She does this with conviction, leadership, and a distinctive voice that cries out for change.

Outside of the HR community, Karen Mattonen has been cited by Microsoft as a resource in how to use Microsoft Outlook as an ATS. She has also served as the Marketing and Public Relations Director for the 3^rd largest city in Utah.

Her passionate and tireless advocacy has led her to create HireCentrix - The Pulse of H.R, Regulation, Retention, Recruiting and Risk Management www.hirecentrix.com. Hirecentrix is a company dedicated to providing training to the HR, recruiting and staffing industries, which includes a special focus on the ethical and legal dimensions through offering a full service resource for individuals to share and communicate, obtain current and accurate information, acquire and provide education and learning within the quickly expanding, diverse and rapidly changing Recruiting and Human Resource climate.

Karen has achieved accreditation as a California Accredited Consultant (CAC) through California Staffing Professionals. She has also gained her Certified Staffing Professional Certificate (CSP) through American Staffing Professionals. (www.americanstaffing.net)

Click here to reach Karen via email.