Where the problem is most acute

[zakiyatasnim]

What profession or industry is considered the worst for those seeking an environment free of harassment and violence? Answer: media (with technology coming in second). In the media industry, 41% of women and 22% of men report harassment.

It’s much better (or at least safer) to work in finance or legal services. Digging deeper, the data is surprising. Who knew men were safer in tech than in media! (Even though harassment of women in both industries is off netherlands number data the charts). And it’s a pleasant surprise that finance is relatively civilized these days. After all, the world of banks and hedge funds has provided rich material about sexual harassment and rape for a number of high-profile films (like The Wolf of Wall Street) and lawsuits. To cite just two famous examples, Martens v. Smith Barney (for sex discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation, including the infamous “boom-boom room”) resulted in a $150 million settlement, while Ingraham v. UBS awarded $10 million to a woman who was repeatedly humiliated by requests for sex, comments about her body, and instructions on how to perform oral sex on a client. As a Wall Street Journal reporter noted at the time, women on Wall Street in the 1980s didn’t call it sexual harassment. “We called it ‘getting hired.’” Given this history, it might seem surprising that financial firms seem much safer for women (and men) to work in than tech or health care. But Wall Street has done a relatively good job of mitigating the underlying risk factors so that potential predators can’t operate with impunity.

From all the experiences and examples above, it is clear that the #MeToo movement did not have sufficient scope: it did not go beyond the standard story (old white guys hitting young women) intended to comfort and support other groups who are also victims of violence.

In her book, #MeToo in the Corporate World, Sylvia Ann Hewlett explains these findings, along with other surprising results from the CTI survey, and then provides solutions for both individuals and organizations. It is imperative for business leaders to create a work environment where everyone – women and men, white and black, gay and straight – can work together safely and effectively, and advance their careers according to their own merits. Employees (junior and senior) must also take steps to protect themselves and those around them. One of the key takeaways from this data is that to truly drive change, the #MeToo movement will need to become much more inclusive.