In the aftermath of the #MeToo crusade during Hollywood’s elite awards, it might appear to an outsider that those pretty, botox’d faces have disciplined the brutish child and solved the problem.
It must be true: Why else has the media not reported on the epidemic of sexual harassment and assault recently? Or did they drop it altogether when they discovered Mrs. Clinton’s cover-up of the actions of Burns Strider, her ironically titled faith advisor? At this point, what does it matter, right?
The old adage out of sight, out of mind certainly rings true for the ivory towered celebs. They’ve declared the plague is cured; move along folks, nothing to see here.
And they couldn’t be more wrong. In fact, they made it much worse.
It’s a Man! Blindfold, Gag, Handcuff, Repeat
The scholarly investigative types at Pew Research Center have released a new report on sexual harassment in the workplace and their findings are a cause for concern. Over 50% of adult Americans surveyed (6,251) now believe it is much harder for men to interact with female colleagues as a result of the intense scrutiny on sexual misconduct in the media, and that it will not help women advance in the workplace. A real peoples’ problem, and not cause for concern of the haughty A-listers.
Gary, 55, a general manager of a sports complex in the D.C. area, finds his employees now walking on eggshells.
“Everyone on my turf now wonders if a woman spikes a volleyball and gains a point, can we high five her? If I say nice job, with a smile, is that code? How ridiculous is this going to get?”
But, But, Women are Still Harassed?
Although 27% of men responded as having been sexually harassed, a whopping 59% of women admit to being the victim of unwanted sexual advances. Breaking down these numbers further, by race:
“Reports of unwanted sexual advances or sexual harassment are also more common among white women: 63% in this group say this has happened to them, compared with half of black and Hispanic women. The shares of women saying they have been sexually harassed are largely similar across age groups.”
Of course, Pew Research pollsters also broke the numbers down by political ideological leanings, and these findings may not surprise anyone. For women respondents identifying as liberal or liberal-leaning, 63% checked the “I have been sexually harassed,” versus 56% of women who claimed to lean conservative.
Maybe Republican and Libertarian women are just cold-cocking their harassers, stepping over the body, and moving on. Just a thought.
Harassment Has Permeated Our Social Norm
Sarcasm and political ideology aside, the pervasive mental and physical abuse that victims have tolerated must end; however, not by eradicating the male population. The public relations stunts of Hollywood, the entertainment industry, and the L.A. County Prosecutor’s Office who created a Sex Crimes Task Force that has accomplished nothing have done more harm than good. This epidemic is ongoing. It is un-American and an embarrassment to the free and equal society the generations before us fought diligently and selflessly to create. I find it untenable that in the 21st century we still fight this battle.
