Far too often employees are subjected to sexual harassment at the hands of their supervisors or coworkers. Victims of harassment may feel they have no ability to put a halt to unwanted advances and unfair demands. This is understandable as sexual harassment typically involves a culprit who feels impervious to consequences due to his or her standing in the company. So victims, fearing the loss of their jobs, remain silent.
But every once in awhile a story of national significance puts the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace back into the public spotlight. Certainly, the recent accusations of harassment made by female Fox News employees against now former CEO Roger Ailes is an example of such a story.
Gretchen Carlson, a former host on Fox News, recently filed a sexual harassment suit against Ailes. This suit was followed by more than 20 other women issuing similar complaints. The allegations eventually cost Ailes his job. More revelations about the work culture at the network may possibly follow.
One former Fox News executive named Shelly Ross recently penned an essay in which she describes her experiences dealing with inappropriate overtures made by Ailes. But the essay is more than an indictment against Ailes, it also describes how her work environment, and that of the news media industry is rife with harassment. In fact, according to Ross, some of the men who created hostile environments were clueless that they were engaging in harassment.
While the details of sexual harassment are often disturbing, it is important that such behavior is called out and stopped. If you have been personally or professionally compromised because of sexual harassment at your place of employment, an experienced employee rights attorney could act as your advocate. An attorney could investigate your allegations and may be able to build a case that will resolve the situation.
Source: Huffington Post, TV Exec Harassed By Roger Ailes Writes Powerful Essay About Rampant Workplace Sexism,” Jenavieve Hatch, Aug 8, 2016