I, for one, am sick and tired of the victims receiving the brunt of the blame. Jhana - "an online resource with articles and tools for managers used by employees at Google, Groupon, Eventbrite, Modcloth, and Ask.com" - recently published an article entitled, "What if a male colleague gets the wrong idea?"
Yes, I'm sure you read that correctly and got the right idea upon reading it. The article dealt with how women should deal with and how they can prevent unwanted sexual advances while at work.
Fortunately, the article has been taken down, but here was some of the advice it laid out for women and how they can prevent such unwanted advances in the workplace:
"- If you act the same way - always professional, but also always like yourself - around everyone, the problematic colleague will be less likely to get the idea that you're coming on to him. One caveat: If you're touchy-feely or flirtatious by nature, you might want to dial it back around him and any guys from whom you sense discomfort.
- Be highly aware of the signals you're sending out - both verbal and nonverbal. In a perfect world, women would feel free to dress however they want without being stigmatized for it. But know that revealing clothing and certain verbal tics, such as ending statements with an upward inflection in your voice or struggling to accept a compliment, can affect others' ability to take you seriously.
- Don't say or do anything you wouldn't say or do in the presence of your grandmother. If you sense that you could start unconsciously flirting (you're human, and sometimes it happens), imagine that your grandmother is in the room. If you'd feel embarrassed saying or doing whatever you're about to say or do in front of Grandma, don't go there.
- If he still doesn't get the message, socialize in groups, especially after hours and outside the office. There's a greater chance that the guy will misinterpret your behavior in 1-on-1 situations that happen outside the office.
- Always pay attention to your creep-o-meter. Every woman has one. If you get even a faint whiff of creepiness off of the guy or anyone else at work, ask yourself if it's really worth trying to get to know the person. In most cases, it isn't."
Here's a more condensed and exaggerated version of how I read these words of advice:
"Ladies, when you come to work, I want you to do everything in your power to prevent men from sexually harassing you. Remember, it's as much your responsibility for being sexually harassed as it is a man's for sexually harassing you. You can't give a guy any signals that you like him, are attracted to him, enjoy his company, think he's funny, or anything of the sort. Men are very simple creatures and we have a tendency to not read women very well - especially women we're physically attracted to. So, here's what I recommend you do. Whether it's the middle of January or the end of July, I want you to come to work wearing a suit and tie, a winter coat over that, along with a mask, snow boots, and gloves. You shouldn't wear any makeup or perfume. In fact, I'd recommend you don't shower until the weekend. While at work, you mustn't make any eye contact with a male colleague. We'll provide you with duct tape to place over your mouth so you're not tempted to speak with any guys here. If, after all this, a guy still makes sexual advances toward you, then let's face it - he's not getting any at home, is horny, and you have to be understanding of that. However, I am quite confident that if you and all of the other women here abide by these before-mentioned guidelines, you won't have any problems with sexual harassment. You're welcome."
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/08/21/2502151/jhana-training-sexual-harassment/
Yes, I'm sure you read that correctly and got the right idea upon reading it. The article dealt with how women should deal with and how they can prevent unwanted sexual advances while at work.
Fortunately, the article has been taken down, but here was some of the advice it laid out for women and how they can prevent such unwanted advances in the workplace:
"- If you act the same way - always professional, but also always like yourself - around everyone, the problematic colleague will be less likely to get the idea that you're coming on to him. One caveat: If you're touchy-feely or flirtatious by nature, you might want to dial it back around him and any guys from whom you sense discomfort.
- Be highly aware of the signals you're sending out - both verbal and nonverbal. In a perfect world, women would feel free to dress however they want without being stigmatized for it. But know that revealing clothing and certain verbal tics, such as ending statements with an upward inflection in your voice or struggling to accept a compliment, can affect others' ability to take you seriously.
- Don't say or do anything you wouldn't say or do in the presence of your grandmother. If you sense that you could start unconsciously flirting (you're human, and sometimes it happens), imagine that your grandmother is in the room. If you'd feel embarrassed saying or doing whatever you're about to say or do in front of Grandma, don't go there.
- If he still doesn't get the message, socialize in groups, especially after hours and outside the office. There's a greater chance that the guy will misinterpret your behavior in 1-on-1 situations that happen outside the office.
- Always pay attention to your creep-o-meter. Every woman has one. If you get even a faint whiff of creepiness off of the guy or anyone else at work, ask yourself if it's really worth trying to get to know the person. In most cases, it isn't."
Here's a more condensed and exaggerated version of how I read these words of advice:
"Ladies, when you come to work, I want you to do everything in your power to prevent men from sexually harassing you. Remember, it's as much your responsibility for being sexually harassed as it is a man's for sexually harassing you. You can't give a guy any signals that you like him, are attracted to him, enjoy his company, think he's funny, or anything of the sort. Men are very simple creatures and we have a tendency to not read women very well - especially women we're physically attracted to. So, here's what I recommend you do. Whether it's the middle of January or the end of July, I want you to come to work wearing a suit and tie, a winter coat over that, along with a mask, snow boots, and gloves. You shouldn't wear any makeup or perfume. In fact, I'd recommend you don't shower until the weekend. While at work, you mustn't make any eye contact with a male colleague. We'll provide you with duct tape to place over your mouth so you're not tempted to speak with any guys here. If, after all this, a guy still makes sexual advances toward you, then let's face it - he's not getting any at home, is horny, and you have to be understanding of that. However, I am quite confident that if you and all of the other women here abide by these before-mentioned guidelines, you won't have any problems with sexual harassment. You're welcome."
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/08/21/2502151/jhana-training-sexual-harassment/
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