METoo Movement and Sexual Harassment

Background
Amanda is a 27-year-old female who works as a customer service representative in a local call center. She is married and has a two-year-old daughter. Amanda came in seeking help as a result of an awareness that some of the men at her workplace may have crossed the line when it comes to the treatment of women. This is the only place she has ever worked and thought these behaviors were normal until the #MeToo movement brought it to her attention that their behavior is more than just the corporate culture.
When Amanda thought about it, she realized that she was being sexually harassed, and possibly even singled out by males in her work environment. She does not feel comfortable talking about this issue with human resources or her current supervisor, because her supervisor is one of the perpetrators. She fears that complaining at work will have repercussions and could cause her to lose her job. She also does not feel comfortable talking about this with her husband, because she is afraid of his reaction. The behaviors for which she complains include unwanted physical contact, jokes and references of the sexual nature, and the sharing of sexually explicit photos through company email (RAINN, 2019). Now that Amanda knows that these behaviors cross the line and should not take place in the work environment, she’s feels violated and wants to find a way to resolve the issue in a way that does not jeopardize her job.
Analysis
The #MeToo movement responsible for an increase in clients who have become aware that they have been sexually harassed on the job (Meyers, 2018). In many cases, clients were not aware that the behavior they were exposed to on-the-job was not appropriate in the work environment. The culture surrounding sexual harassment has changed significantly since the #MeToo movement. Have until this time, the workforce was frequently a place where it was considered normal for comments about a woman’s body, or sexually explicit jokes to be the norm. The #MeToo movement brought awareness that these types of behaviors constituted sexual-harassment and should no longer be tolerate as normal in the workplace (Meyers, 2018). Women now felt that they needed to speak out about these practices, but often times, they have no safe place where they can express their sentiments without fear of repercussions (Meyers, 2018). Many of them are turning to counselor’s offices as a place where they can express their feelings and resolve any negative self-talk that may have developed as a result (Meyers, 2018).
One of the difficulties in defining whether sexual-harassment has taken place is that the EEOC definition of sexual harassment does not cover every circumstance and can be unclear. According to the EEOC, the victim can be either a man or a woman, or the person harassed can be the same sex (EEOC, 2019). According to this definition, the comments do not have to be about a particular person but can be about that category a person in general. For instance, sexual-harassment can include general comments about women and do not have to be directed towards an individual (EEOC, 2019). The problem is that the law does not specifically prohibit teasing, offhand comments, or isolated incidents that are not considered very serious (EEOC, 2019). The problem is that these comments create a hostile work environment that can result in the victim being fired or demoted.
Now, the definition of sexual harassment has been expanded by many human resources departments. It is not the desire to create a hostile work environment, but to create a productive and welcoming environment for all employees. Sexual harassment can come from a supervisor, indirect supervisor, coworker, teacher, peer, or colleague of any gender or orientation (RAINN, 2019). Activities that are considered sexual-harassment can be actual physical acts of sexual assault, making the conditions of employment or advancement dependent on sexual favors, requests for sexual favors, verbal harassment of the sexual nature, unwelcome sexual advances, unwanted touching or physical contact, discussing relations stories and fantasies at work, or passing around sexually explicit photos, emails, or text messages (RAINN, 2019). The #MeToo movement has ended the days the “boys will be boys” attitude that existed in many workplaces previously. The conduct expressed by Amanda clearly falls into the category of sexual harassment, even if it does not meet the formal EEOC definition.
The problem was sexual-harassment is that even if it does not cross the line of violating EEOC, it creates a hostile work environment and can have significant psychological, physical, and mental health consequences were the victim. It is estimated that approximately 70 to 90 percent of women do not report that they have been sexually harassed at work (Laderer, 2017). Many times, this is placed in the category of a work-related issue and it is treated as if the issues. Once the time clock ends. However, sexual-harassment can have a long-term effect on mental health, and is particularly damaging to a person’s self-esteem (Laderer, 2017). It suggests that a person’s body is currency and can cause a host of mental health symptoms (Laderer, 2017).
The symptoms arising from sexual-harassment can include a major stress reaction including anxiety, sleep disorders, and depression (Laderer, 2017). The earlier the harassment occurs in someone’s career, the more likely it is to cause long-term mental health effects. In some cases, the victim experiences PTSD symptoms and flashbacks (Laderer, 2017). It can cause physical symptoms related to stress as well.
Sexual harassment is not only costly to the victim, it is also costly to the employer. It can result in reduced opportunities for training and advancement, and it also results in higher rates of absences for victims (Shaw, Hegewisch, and Hess, 2018). Certain circumstances have been associated with higher levels of sexual harassment in the workplace. These include employees that work for tips, employees that work in isolated environments, employees that work in male-dominated jobs, and employees that work in settings where there is a significant power differential between workers (Shaw, et al, 2018). In the case of Amanda, she has indicated that a majority of those who she works with her male. This means that the males within the workplace set the cultural norms of the organization. In addition, even though she did not express it, there is more than likely a power differential between the males and females in the workplace. This type of work environment is right for sexual-harassment to take place.
Treatment
Anyone who experiences a hostile work environment can experience a host of different trauma symptoms. There are a number of personal and situational factors that may provide a protective factor or increase the effects of the sexual-harassment. The type of harassment that took place, or how long it has been going on do not affect the diagnosis and treatment. Every person will react differently. Therefore, the first job that needs to be accomplished is discovering how the sexual-harassment has affected the client. An assessment needs to be conducted that includes scales for depression, anxiety, and interviews on how this has affected the client’s lifestyle and self-image.
The difficulty with diagnosing the effects of sexual-harassment is that the victim may not be fully aware of how it has the down. For instance, many victims of sexual harassment may withdraw from social interaction or social settings (ABCT, 2019). They may not even realize that they have done so, and it may not be revealed until an interview examines their lives now, in comparison to some earlier time. They may suffer from depression or anxiety, and not be aware of the full effects of how the sexual-harassment has affected them. It can also affect relationships with others, including friends, family members, and spouses (ABCT, 2019). The first step in hoping the person to regain their life and move on is to determine how the sexual-harassment has affected their quality of life.
For many clients, cognitive behavioral therapy is the recommended treatment modality and has proven to be effective in treating those who have been victims of sexual harassment in the workplace (ABCT, 2019). In more severe cases, it may be recommended that medications or pharmaceutical solutions be included in other treatment modalities. Group therapy can often be effective for those who have suffered from the effects of sexual-harassment. It is often helpful to understand that they are not alone and that there are others who are going through similar circumstances (ABCT). Once diagnosis has been confirmed and this organization has a better picture of how sexual harassment has affected Amanda, an appropriate course of treatment options will be recommended.
One of the unspoken factors in the treatment of those who have experienced sexual harassment and are seeking treatment is that the treatment of mental health and physical issues are limited by the current and future exposure of the person to the environment that cause the symptoms. Person is still in the environment, it is usually advised that they seek another work environment, but sometimes this is not always possible. In this case, the client needs to be provided resources on how to deal with the issue within the work environment. It is difficult to treat a person for trauma, when the trauma is still an ongoing part of their lives. This makes the issue of sexual-harassment difficult to treat from a counseling perspective. The first step should always be to remove the person from the toxic environment, if at all possible.
In Amanda’s case, the ability to remove her from the circumstances depends on whether her husband has adequate income to support the family, and whether the family’s finances or any position where Amanda could leave to seek other employment if she wished. If not, CBT therapy may need to focus on assertiveness training, or other methods to help her learn to set healthy boundaries in the work environment. The difficulty is teaching her to do so, without jeopardizing her position at the company if necessary.
Conclusion
The #MeToo movement is redefining the workplace culture and working to make it a truly equal opportunity place. In the past, cultures developed where the rights and feelings of women were not considered. It was clear that it was a man’s world, and women did not even have the right to complain if they wanted to keep their jobs. Now, the definitions of what constitutes sexual harassment are being expanded, and women are being given a voice that allows them to come together in solidarity to achieve necessary social changes.
Amanda’s case is similar to other women who have suddenly become aware that the way they are being treated at work is not appropriate, nor is it the way it has to be. The first hurdle is getting them to admit that boundaries have been crossed, and to recognize the damage that has been done to them. The ways in which sexual-harassment affect women differ according to the individual. There is no one-size-fits-all treatment for those who have been victims of sexual harassment in the workplace. The first step is obtaining an accurate diagnosis and needs assessment for the client. Next, treatment modalities can be explored.
Sexual-harassment in the workplace will only change when the victims are given a voice to speak against their perpetrators. So many times, they do not feel comfortable speaking out and will suffer in silence for years. This is a complex issue, and the #MeToo movement is changing the way sexual-harassment is viewed in the workplace. It may take some time to achieve permanent social change, helping each individual, such as Amanda, is a big step in that direction.

References
Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. (ABCT) (2019). Sexual Assault. Retrieved from http://www.abct.org/Information/?m=mInformation&fa=fs_SEXUAL_ASSAULT
Laderer, A. (2017). Sexual Harassment Is About Mental Health, Not Only in the Workplace. TalkSpace. Retrieved from https://www.talkspace.com/blog/sexual-harassment-is-about-mental-health-not-only-the-workplace/
Meyers, L. (2018). Talking About #MeToo. Counseling Today. Retrieved from https://ct.counseling.org/2018/08/talking-about-metoo/
RAINN (2019). Sexual Harassment. RAINN.org. Retrieved from https://www.rainn.org/articles/sexual-harassment
Shae, E., Hegewisch, A., & Hess, C. (2018). Sexual Harassment and Assault at Work: Understanding the Costs. Institute for Women’s Policy Research. Retrieved from https://iwpr.org/people/cynthia-hess-ph-d/
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (EEOC) (2019). Sexual Harassment. Retrieved from https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/sexual_harassment.cfm