Sexual harassment is one of the types of workplace harassment with the highest incidence in Latin America, so companies must prepare and have the support of specialized research firms. This at a time when this problem can have anything from a reputational impact to legal implications.
The problem of sexual harassment has gained greater visibility in recent years; companies are receiving more complaints related to these behaviors, so it is necessary to carry out impartial investigations and to guarantee that the people who report will not suffer reprisals.
Cases of sexual abuse are presented from a person in a position of power to a subordinate, a situation that leaves the victim more unprotected. However, there are also cases in which the harassment comes from a person with the same hierarchical level. In most cases, those who report having suffered sexual harassment at work are women.
A study by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and Grow Género Foundation found that in Argentina 3 out of 10 women suffered sexual violence at work. The main ways in which it is presented are through inappropriate comments about the body or clothing (33%); inappropriate physical approaches that can include anything from advances on personal space to non-consensual physical contact (22%) and sexual favors in exchange for benefits or job promotions (4%)
To this is added another big problem, and it is the lack of knowledge about the measures that companies must implement to investigate this type of case. Most of the women are unaware and have no idea of the existence of the procedures for reporting these cases. This ignorance generates, in turn, mistrust in the institutions, which is why many people do not dare to denounce it.
If there is no knowledge on how to carry out these investigations, the process may end in the re-victimization of the complainant, without having resolved the underlying problem.
The implications of these cases can be both reputational and legal, also affecting the general climate of the company. For this reason, we believe that effectively addressing sexual harassment is not only an obligation, but also an opportunity. The private sector can take the lead in showing positive results by implementing best practices to remedy sexual harassment.
A fast, efficient and expert-led action to deal with sexual harassment within organizations can become an added value for companies before suppliers, workers and customers; as well as with users and consumers, increasingly informed and with a greater voice to influence the changes that society seeks.
*María Camila Hernández and Arturo del Castillo, director and executive director (respectively) of forensic investigations at Kroll Colombia.
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by María Camila Hernández and Arturo del Castillo*
