One of the most profound silences in safety culture is, silence on the nature of power. Understanding power is the foundation of ethics, which is why the AIHS Chapter on Ethics makes no mention of it.
In any profession worthy of the name, the beginning of articulating an ethic is understanding the nature of power.
The same applies for understand Sexual Harassment in the workplace except, Safety is silent on power in Sexual Harassment too. There is no mention on the nature of power in the standard or any of the codes of practice on ‘psychosocial hazards’, how convenient. Similarly, there is no well-articulated ethic in the industry that could even start to help in understanding Sexual Harassment.
Being silent on the nature of power enables the greatest abuse of power.
Recently, in my jurisdiction in Canberra, the Regulator put out an alert on ‘Managing and Reporting Sexual Harassment’ (https://www.worksafe.act.gov.au/health-and-safety-portal/safety-alerts/managing-risk-andreporting-sexual-harassment). The safety alert is such a disaster one has to wonder, does Safety ever consult other disciplines and real professionals?
There is so much in this safety alert that is harmful. How strange this industry that supposedly cares so much about harm, that seeks to harm people psychosocially as much as it can! I guess when your mantra is ‘zero vision’ why would one be surprised?
What this alert demonstrates is that Safety has not a clue what to do about Sexual Harassment in the Workplace. Let’s have a look at some super dumb and dangerous stuff:
‘The risk of sexual harassment in the workplace should be managed the same as any other workplace hazard using the four-step risk management process’.
Ah…, No! Sexual harassment is NOT like any other workplace hazard. Indeed, it is not a ‘hazard’! Similarly, one doesn’t respond to Sexual Harassment as if it is a ‘hazard’ at all. If one perceives Sexual Harassment as a ‘hazard’, one will do much more harm than good.
The beginning of understanding the nature of sexual harassment is understanding the nature of power. You know, that thing that Safety never speaks about.
The beginning of understanding the nature of sexual harassment is tackling moral philosophy and ethics. You know, those things that Safety never speaks about.
How amazing to send out a ‘safety alert’ about a psychosocial ‘hazard’ to an industry that has no curriculum, eduation or expertise in the matter.
How amazing to send out a ‘safety alert’ about a psychosocial ‘hazard’ to an industry consumed with counting objects, injuries rates and policing regulation.
On what planet can such an industry ‘identify and assess sexual harassment’?
Then we have this:
Use anonymous employee surveys like the People at Work Survey, and other hazard identification tools.
Ah…, No! Sexual harassment is NOT something one explores through surveys and ‘hazard identification tools’. Similarly, the safety industry has no expertise in the psychological dynamics required to even look at such an option.
Equally, the foundation for any professional counsellor, psychologist or expert in this area is extensive education in the criticality of confidentiality. This is something in which Safety has no expertise or training. Professional counsellors in Sexual Harassment know that one doesn’t ‘review information’ to learn about Sexual Harassment.
Similarly, one doesn’t:
Be aware of high risk hazards your workers may be at risk of e.g. working alone, working at night, or the service of alcohol.
All such nonsense like this does is, support mythology about Sexual Harassment. The data tells us that 75% of all Sexual Harassment doesn’t even happen physically, it happens online! (https://www.abs.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/17-million-australians-sexually-harassed-2021-22).
Sexual Harassment is empowered by silence on ethics, moral philosophy and power. You know, what Safety does best!
Sexual Harassment is not about the mythologies that Safety invents, it is about understanding power, care, helping and moral need. The kind of dangerous mythology exemplified in this safety alert, is like the silly nonsense that about floats about how women dress as a cause of abuse (https://www.ourresilience.org/what-you-need-to-know/myths-and-facts/).
Spreading myths in such a safety alert like this, simply perpetuates and supports further abuse.
Then we have this:
Report it to a manager, supervisor, health and safety representative or human resources or use the reporting processes at your workplace immediately or as soon as you are able.
Ah…, No! The first place to start in tackling Sexual Harassment is consulting a professional. Reporting Sexual Harassment to amateurs simply triggers off a process that in the end will harm the person even more.
Any profession that wants to care and help persons, doesn’t send people to amateurs to tackle problems.
When you look at the policies that regulators put out on this issue and the nonsense in the AIHS BoK, all of this is an example of what NOT to do (https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/media-centre/news/workplace-sexual-harassment-statistics-and-what-do-if-you-are-sexually-harassed-work-new-infographics). If you have a medical or psychosocial problem, you don’t’ consult an engineer!and fo goodness sake, sexualised abuse is NOT some mummy like monster that lurks in the shadows.
None of this silly semiotics helps anyone tackle the realities of Sexual Harassment.
The we have this:
Keep a record of what happened, when and where it happened, who was involved and anything else you think may be important.
Ah…, No! When you are NOT a professional, have no education in ethics or skills in confidentiality or, knowledge of the basics in Pastoral Care, you do not keep records!
The most important thing you mustn’t do is report it to the Regulator. The Regulator too, has no education or expertise in this matter.
The reality is, this kind of safety alert simply emboldens the nature of Sexual Harassment in the workplace. It drives more silence which is why so few report to orthodox channels at work.
So, what can you do?
- One, get rid of this silly language of ‘hazards’. People and social relationships are NOT ‘hazards’. When such language is used Safety simply demonstrates how dumb and brutal it is. Zero harm indeed!
- Two, start to learn about the nature and dynamics of power, perhaps start here: https://ethics.org.au/ethics-explainer-power/
- Three, consult professionals and think in a Trans-disciplinary way. Safety is NOT the location for all knowing. Don’t accept demands for which you have no education or expertise.
- Four, start to tackle some of the many safety culture silences (https://safetyrisk.net/safety-culture-silences/) that keep Safety in the dark and make it un-professional.
- Five, open up to becoming educated in Ethics (https://cllr.com.au/product/an-ethic-of-risk-workshop-unit-17-elearning/) and ignore the silly AIHS BoK Chapter on non-ethics.
- Six, if someone does trust you with a confession about Sexual Harassment in the workplace, refer them to a professional outside of work.
- Seven, do some work on becoming a Skilled Helper (https://safetyrisk.net/the-advisor-as-skilled-helper/).
All of these are practical and positive ways in which you can care and help persons in the challenges of Sexual Harassment in the workplace. The key to caring for others in Pastoral Care is relinquishing power, listening and humility.
If you want to learn more about Personhood, Ethics and Resilience in the face of the moral challenges of psychosocial health, perhaps register for the SPoR Conference in May (https://spor.com.au/canberra-convention/).
Dr Rob Long
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