#METOO has sparked a global, multi-sectoral conversation on sexual harassment. The disturbing cases that have emerged in the past month globally and on our own shores only show that our non-profit sector too is not immune from the occurrence of sexual harassment in workplaces.

The “Oxfam effect” is being felt by aid agencies, UN agencies and international and local NGOs. We are agencies and organisations which hold up a vision of the ideal world we want to create – unfortunately we are ourselves a product of society and are staffed by people who reaffirm and replicate prevailing gender blindness, biases and discriminations.

Sexual harassment is an issue of power, discrimination and gender. It is rarely about sex in itself. There is a range of actions covered by sexual harassment: from unwanted sexual comments, unwanted deliberate touching, unwanted letters, telephone calls, materials of a sexual nature, kissing, stroking, stalking, to assault and rape.

Sexual harassment is a combination of different violations which make it difficult to define, pin down and take action on. 

Firstly, sexual harassment is an aspect of sex discrimination: women are the targeted recipients of unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Within the workplace specifically, this conduct can explicitly and implicitly affect an individual’s performance or creates an offensive work environment.

Secondly, sexual harassment is a product of power discrimination: in this that those who do abuse are somewhat emboldened and empowered by institutional structures and circumstances – position, seniority, type of tenure and gender – to harass others. In this situation gender is only one aspect, and the harasser need not always be of the opposite sex.

Thirdly, sexual harassment is an aspect of the way society treats sexuality itself – and many of these actions are framed as moral depravity. Which explains the early French denouncement of the #MeToo campaign.

In my area of work, I too have experienced women who have told me stories of how they have been harassed. One of my friends was pushed against the wall in a closed elevator and groped and kissed by her colleague. I had a work client, who used to answer my call with the opening line: “Hiya angel, what are you wearing right now?” And translating to the boss how hearing something like that from a client makes the chills travel down your spine is no easy job for any woman. The psychological impact on women can never be measured. Moreover, a woman who brings allegations of sexual harassment is often accused of being a liar, unprofessional, being mentally unstable, or utilising the opportunity for monetary compensation or to make up for poor work performance.

If we are indeed to find solutions on how to equip our organisations to better handle sexual harassment, we need to unpack the ways in which gender and power discrimination manifests within our institutions. And it should be the commitment of our organisations and our funding agencies to ensure that policies, procedures and redressal mechanisms are in place to address gender/power discrimination. In Malaysia, the Employment Act was amended in 2012 to include Part XVa on Sexual Harassment, which makes it incumbent on employers to do precisely that. Employers have to ensure all employees understand the legal implications and ramifications and it is binding on employers to act on complaints.

But because the act of sexual harassment varies in range, frequency and intensity, there is a need to investigate each case differently to establish pattern and to ensure that the action taken is appropriate to the degree of harm caused.

Who do we really protect when we fail to act on sexual harassment? We fail women and girls especially those less powerful than us. We fail to protect the integrity and credibility of our organisations. But most of all, we fail those who believe in our vision of the world. We can do more to be accountable. The time is now.

* Sivananthi Thanenthiran is executive director of Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women, a regional NGO based in Malaysia that champions sexual and reproductive health and rights. 

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.