Ostracizing targets of workplace sexual harassment before and after the #MeToo movement

• Pages: 53-67
• Published date: 26 February 2019
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-09-2018-0162
• Date: 26 February 2019
• Author: Stephanie E.V. Brown,Jericka S. Battle
• Subject Matter: Hr & organizational behaviour,Employment law

Ostracizing targets of workplace

sexual harassment before and

after the #MeToo movement

Stephanie E.V. Brown and Jericka S. Battle

Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University,

College Station, Texas, USA

Abstract

Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to explore the connections between sexual harassment and ostracism

both before and after the modern day #MeToo movement. It outlines how the birth of the #MeToo movement

lessened the impact of ostracism, empowering victims to report their abusers.

Design/methodology/approach –This paper provides an overview of the ostracism literature, and

discusses why ostracism has historically prevented individuals from disclosing workplace abuse. It also

examines recent and historical cases of sexual harassment where ostracism has both inhibited targets of

sexual harassment from reporting and harmed those who stood up for their right not to be harassed.

Findings –Both purposeful and non-purposeful ostracism have negative impacts on employees and

organizations as a whole, and the fear of ostracism prevented many from disclosing harassment and abuse in

the workplace. The #MeToo movement, by nature, is antithetical to ostracism by building community and

freeing people to seek justice. This paper makes practical recommendations for organizations that wish to

help prevent ostracism as a response to workplace sexual harassment disclosure.

Research limitations/implications –Both purposeful and non-purposeful ostracism have negative

impacts on employees and organizations as a whole, and the fear of ostracism prevent many from disclosing

harassment and abuse in the workplace. The #MeToo movement by nature is antithetical to ostracism,

building community and freeing people to seek justice. This paper makes practical recommendations for

organizations that wish to prevent ostracism as a response to workplace sexual harassment disclosure.

Additionally, it provides future research directions to explore the empirical link between the disclosure of

sexual harassment and ostracism.

Originality/value –This paper analyzes a crucial barrier to reporting sexual harassment. It both examines

the consequences of ostracism and highlights how the threat of ostracism can be overcome through

intentional organizational efforts.

Keywords Ostracism, Workplace sexual harassment, #MeToo movement

Paper type General review

Workplace sexual harassment is an all too common phenomenon. Each year, over 12,000

US-based employees file sexual harassment claims with the Equal Employment

Opportunity Commission (EEOC, n.d.), and the costs to the individuals and organizations

involved can be quite large in terms of reputational damage and financial settlements. The

current #MeToo phenomenon, which prompted targets to disclose their experiences of

assault or harassment online through social media, exposed perpetrators and their enablers,

many of whom committed multiple abuses over extended periods of time. Some of these

perpetrators are just now being revealed to the public, leading many to wonder, “Why now?

Why not earlier? Why wait?”

Unfortunately, the suppression of the truth stemmed from a history of oppression; many

had witnessed victims come forward only to be shunned and silenced. The tail end of 1991

brought about the very public shaming of Anita Hill, who experienced years of workplace

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

An International Journal

Vol. 39 No. 1, 2020

pp. 53-67

© Emerald PublishingLimited

2040-7149

DOI 10.1108/EDI-09-2018-0162

Received 8 September 2018

Revised 29 November 2018

21 January 2019

Accepted 30 January 2019

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:

www.emeraldinsight.com/2040-7149.htm

The authors would like to thank Samantha January, Spencer Brown and Phia Salter for feedback on

earlier versions of this paper. Similarly, the authors wish to thank the reviewers for their kind and

constructive feedback on this manuscript.

53

#MeToo

movement