by: Merril D. Smith

I thought I knew everything about sexual harassment.

Seems a lot of life is learning what I already know, then learning it better.

What I Already Knew

That the majority of sexual harassments are committed by men on women. However, it also includes women harassing men, men harassing men, and women harassing women.

Many victims don’t report due to: retaliation, fear of job loss, no promotions, shame, humiliation, self blame and helplessness.

That it happens in the corporate world, in the military, in the streets, in prisons, in religions and online.

The Book’s Introduction: Anita Hill

The book says –“In 1991, Anita Hill testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee about her experiences with Clarence Thomas” Then continues “Though she did not coin the term “sexual harassment”, Hill’s testimony introduced both the phrase and the concept to many Americans,”

None of the men on the Senate hearing panel believed or wanted to believe Hill. Angela Wright, who had also been harassed by Thomas, waited 3 days to testify, but was never called. When production wrapped, I was –

Cheesed Off!

Resa – So, Merril, what do you say to what I just said?

Merril – Anita Hill was one public face. What happened to her has happened to thousands of women in some way–the harassment at work and the denial by men that it happened. I believe her accounts of what happened and that Clarence Thomas, now a Supreme Court Justice, sexually harassed her. What possible reason would she have to make it up?

Was she treated as she was by the Senate committee because she is a woman? Yes, I think she was. Similarly, the allegations against Brett Kavanaugh by Christine Blasey Ford were not taken seriously–the FBI did not investigate– and she received death threats. She and her family had to live in hotels.

Read about it! For Christine Blasey Ford, the fallout of the Kavanaugh hearing is ongoing.  

Some of What I Learned

Gunning- “the notorious practice of prisoners openly masturbating in front of female staff.”

If Congress could stop”government induced inflation” women would not be forced to work outside the home and Congress could “keep women out of places where they don’t belong”.

There’s lots more, but talking about her makes me gassy.

“backlash stress” Fear of being accused of sexual harassment causing missed work and limited interactions with co-workers

I was shocked to find out just how much sexual harassment is an issue in schools, and that it’s still prevalent despite laws.

Title IX (1972) – “prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex for any school or educational activity that receives or benefits from federal financial assistance.”

Resa – Whew! I’m impressed. Is there more?

Merril – The article on prison rape was written for a book I co-edited with scholar Tuba Inal, Rape Cultures and Survivors: An International Perspective. 

Resa – What was it like while writing the books and the article? Were you angry, sad? Did it upset you emotionally? Was it hard to focus? Did you feel like running away?

Merril – I was–I am–indignant that women have been and still are often treated as second-class citizens. Reading accounts of rape is upsetting. Of course, it is! When I was reading about rape and war crimes it was particularly difficult, and I had to take breaks to go outside. But I think it’s important that people know about such things. I had contracts to complete these books.

Resa – Since the publication of “Sexual Harassment” (2020) has there been anything you would update or add in the book now?

Merill – Well, laws have changed. Harvey Weinstein’s rape conviction was overturned for procedural reasons. I’ve no doubt he’s guilty.

I discussed the current president in his first administration, and now here we are with him again, and things are worse. Government agencies are being dismantled. So how and where do people report workplace sexual harassment? And I can’t imagine such reports being investigated in the military either. Trans people are more at risk than they were before. 

Resa -Does the overturning of Roe V. Wade figure into this, at all? 

Merril – Well, it figures into the treatment of women as second-class citizens. The Dobbs decision allowed states to criminalize abortion. We’ve seen this has applied to women with life-threatening pregnancies, and the arrest of women who have had miscarriages. This is all part of the dismantling of our democracy, and it all is part of Project 2025’s plan to set up a theocracy. This goes along with old ideas of a strong man at the top of government, and each household with  its own male ruler.

I should point out something that people may not know, but abortion was not a criminal act in early America. 

Resa– Now that is most interesting!

This 360 page reference book has 7 sections: Background and History, Problems, Controversies and Solutions, Perspectives, Profiles, Data and Documents, Resources, Chronology.

I borrowed “Sexual Harassment” from the Toronto Public Library System, renewed it the 3 allowed times, then had to keep it overdue. It is a well researched reference book based on: laws, court cases, studies, publicly documented hearings and various other factual data.

This is not a page turning novel, yet it is gripping in a different and real way.

These books are available on Amazon, as well as in libraries.

NOTE: “Sexual Harassment”, the book, focuses on the US and its definitions. Obviously, it exists everywhere, but it’s not against the law everywhere