The Customer is Always Right - Sexual Harassment at Work

“He began putting a hand on me. I showed him a pocket knife so he would leave me be”. “The customer is always right, even when they make you uncomfortable.” “I got fired from a retail job because I'm a lesbian and wouldn't sleep with my male boss!!” These are only a few of the stories from people who have been sexually harassed that are reviewed in “the customer is always right” essay.

1 in 2 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced sexual harassment during their lifetimes. This is according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). A Personal Safety Survey that was done back in 2016. This is a problem and something needs to be done for people’ voice to be heard.

So why do people put up with it? A question asked many times is why. Why do people put up with this? why don’t they speak up? Victim blaming is a very usual thing that happens. Blaming the victim and not the perpetrator. She was totally asking for it wearing what she was or why didn’t she do anything to stop it happening? Many people shift the blame onto the victims, asking why they waited until now.

People think that victims can simply leave. That they bring it on themselves. All of these are myths. Dangerous myths that shouldn’t be believed as they create more harm then you believe. Even victims themselves believe that they should have been able to defend themselves. When they can’t they feel ashamed and humiliated. Sexual harassment completely demolishes a person self-worth. Being seen as an object and not a proper human being. It's humiliating and dehumanizing. Add that to the fact no one likes to be seen as helpless and at the mercy of another person. Speaking about such an experience is hard in itself. These victim’s don’t want to be seen as victims. So they downplay the harm that it caused using excuses such as am I exaggerating or it’s not that bad. Rather that then thinking they need help yet are too powerless to do anything. Sexual harassment isn't even about sex. It’s about power and when a person tries to take away power. Sexually harassment is an abuse of power.

It seems obvious to speak out about these problems but unfortunately, that is not the case. Let's talk about the victims who do manage to speak up. People who do try to speak up about these issues very often get shouted down for their efforts. Sexual harassers frequently threaten the lives, jobs, family and careers of their victims. And many victims are frightened by the perpetrator’s position of power and what they could do with it. It is a difficult thing to challenge power. Reporting sexual harassment can be career-ending.

How does this happen? The victim tries to report to someone with power. But most of the time for nearly all cases the harasser is the person with power. If not they get mainly ignored no matter how many times they complain. And here is the problem. Once the harasser finds out they fire the victim.

In the end, the victim is fired for unbelievable reasons like misconduct in the workplace.

This leaves the victim with two tough choices. Either they can try to leave beforehand with some money for doing so. Or they can try to sue the person. Bad news! The company’s going to run against you simply to save their reputation.

A victim can try their best to fight. They could have evidence, witnesses, called the police, filed a claim. And yet there would still be people thinking it was all lies. Many don’t disclose due to this fear they won’t be believed. Due to a common belief that women make up these stories for attention or to get back at a man who rejected them. If that’s not bad enough you would be dismissed and put off. Even when a person does speak up it would probably make things worse for them. Many even feel it is useless to come forward because they have seen the way others have been treated. This problem is what stops so many people from reporting even if they wish to do so.

To sum up the customer is always right essay, the paper about sexual harassment at work. Sexual harassment remains a problem in the workplace. It couldn’t get any clearer when thousands of women shared their #MeToo stories. There’s a difference now in recognizing how widespread this is. The Me Too movement spreads awareness. Before this movement happened there was no idea how widespread harassment had become. It gives courage to victims who know that there are people are fighting against the same cause. That they were not alone in this fight. Empowering people to stand up for themselves. #MeToo movement has created this domino-effect. This movement is giving people a chance to have a voice they never had.

They need to be better ways of reporting harassment. One that ensures that they would be heard without consequences. People should feel safe speaking about the issue rather than worrying about the repercussions. Because sexual abuse should not have to be tolerated. All employees have the right to work in a positive and non-threatening work environment, free from any form of sexual harassment.