Our Findings
We wanted to go beyond headlines, shaming and blaming, and focus on solutions to the everyday experiences of sexual harassment and gender-based violence that plague service workers. We sought input from our community, both staff and owners, and this is what we found out:
-
One of the major contributing factors to this issue in the hospitality industry is the normalization of sexualized violence
-
Managers of restaurants want to do something, but don't feel supported for the "how"
-
This is a business based on reputation, most people don't feel comfortable taking risking that
-
The precarious nature of the work make reporting difficult, inaccessible, and risky
How do we make change?
-
Bad behaviors need to be called out, that's where allyship is helpful
-
Access to supports that already exists
-
Respect people's anonymity and boundaries
-
Change the response from "That's how it is in my job", to "That's not okay in this job."
-
Provide staff and management with the training they require for prevention
Together, we can start by doing the following:
-
Believing employees when they disclose or report harassment
-
Create a statement of principles or values that support an equitable work environment
-
Start training staff and management on harassment and sexual violence