Timing, as
they say, is everything. #MeToo spread virally in October 2017 as
a hashtag used on social media in an attempt to demonstrate the
widespread prevalence of sexual assault and harassment, especially in the
workplace. The coming mid-term election should be a moment of opportunity for
women all across the country as the #MeToo movement heads to the polls.
Women
candidates have responded at every level of government, running for office in
local, state and national races in unprecedented numbers. At least 105 women,
many first-time candidates, are running for legislative office in New York on the
Democratic or Republican ticket. They recognize that they are more than 50
percent of the state’s voters, yet hold less than 25 percent of elected seats.
Those numbers are too low to reach the critical threshold needed to get our issues
on the table.
Many of these
women candidates are facing an all too familiar set of challenges in their bid
for elected office. As an August New York Times article pointed out, “the abuse
already common in many women’s everyday lives can be amplified in political
campaigns, especially if the candidate is also a member of a minority group.” For women candidates, the harassment is frequently
sexualized, and it has come to the fore this election cycle, partly because so
many women are running and partly because more of them are discussing their
experiences.
We need women’s voices in the corridors of power to finally take seriously the violence that American women face every day. Need proof? More than 20,000 calls are placed to domestic violence hotlines every day nationwide. A recent report identified the 50 policing agencies in New York State that reported the highest rates of domestic abuse victims in 2017. Those 50 communities include rural, suburban and urban places all across our state.
Violent
crimes against women are often under-reported to police for exactly the reasons
we saw play out on the national stage in the recent Supreme Court nomination
hearings. The down-stream consequences for the
privileged and the powerless victim alike of failing to report can echo just as
long as for those who find the courage to report and are not believed.
The consequences of sexual assault fall overwhelmingly on
the victims. About 0.7 percent of rapes and attempted rapes end with a felony
conviction for the perpetrator, according to an estimate based on the best of
the imperfect measures available. On the other side of the incident, at least
89 percent of victims report some level of distress, including high rates of
physical injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety and
substance abuse. There has been much wringing of hands about the damage done to
American men by accusations of sexual assault, but any fretting on behalf of
those accused of assault should take into account research that shows that
millions of victims of sexual assault have paid a serious, measurable price,
physically and mentally.
The American
Psychological Association says that the majority of U.S. workplaces still aren’t taking
steps to address sexual harassment the #MeToo stories brought to light. In
2016, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission released a comprehensive
study of workplace harassment in the United States, which concluded that
“anywhere from 25% to 85% of women report having experienced sexual harassment
in the workplace.” The EEOC cited a 2003 study found that 75% of employees who
spoke out against workplace mistreatment faced some form of retaliation.
There are signs
of positive change here in New York,
but we need the state legislature to take up these issues in a comprehensive
way to end violence against women in the home, in school and the workplace. It
is not enough to pass a law. A law without a regulatory framework, a safe reporting
mechanism, and meaningful penalties will not accomplish the change we need to
make New York
a safe place for all its citizenry.
Earlier
this year Mayor Bill de Blasio signed in New
York City a paid "safe" leave bill,
expanding the city's paid sick leave law to allow workers to use their time off
to address safety and get services connected with certain criminal offenses.
The law covers leave for uses like filing a police report, attending a
court appearance, meeting with a civil legal attorney and seeing a social
worker. That is a good start, but it does not cover everyone who needs those
protections who lives outside of NYC or are not city workers.
No comments:
Post a Comment