Bill Cosby’s conviction is a big step in the right direction for #MeToo victims. Sexual harassment is a very serious issue, but unfortunately its definition changes depending on the culture you belong to. It is important to have a consistent world-wide policy on the matter. In Pakistan, our tolerance for sexual harassment is much too high and what would be categorised as harassment in other cultures is often dismissed as ‘flirting’ in Pakistan.
In a company where the power dynamics between the boss and his peers is important, it is crucial that men and women do not exploit that power dynamic for their personal reasons. What Harvey Weinstein allegedly did to Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow and countless other young actresses was awful.
Those companies which give precedence to a culture of safety by implementing assertiveness training should be rewarded
He exploited his position of power to extract personal pleasures for himself. Larry Nassar was the devil personified when he was given the responsibility to train Olympic gymnasts and he went on a rampage of abusing those entrusted to him as quoted by Megan Halicek, “he abused me, all the while telling me stories about his Olympic journey”. There are others as well, such as Louis CK and Charlie Rose. The list goes on and on.
The moment a person feels uncomfortable because of advances made by a peer, especially a senior, and makes that discomfort known to the other person, it can no longer can be categorised as flirting. That is a crucial point that everyone needs to understand. That is the moment to back off or face the repercussions of one’s actions. That is the kind of world we should hope that our children are brought up in. Where no one would dare overstep well defined boundaries. But for this, it is important to define your boundaries. Assertiveness training should be a mandatory in all commercial entities for this purpose.
These things will take time, but we can start at the corporate level. Those companies which give precedence to a culture of safety by implementing assertiveness training should be rewarded, just like how companies are applauded for community contributions. After all, it is the duty of all companies to ensure that their employees feel safe. Companies in Pakistan can take the lead here and be pioneers of disrupting the world’s business ecosystems in a positive way. We should be remembered for something good by our future generations.
The writer is a graduate of Amherst College, Director at Shezan International Limited and co-founder of the start-up Tempest
Published in Daily Times, May 14th 2018.