The time is up for sexual harassment in the workplace, and universities must address it.

Educating students about the prevalence of sexual assault across industries can provide them with the tools to address the issue. Universities should implement more on-campus discussions about sexual assault and harassment and encourage students to talk freely about how these issues may arise in a workplace environment.

The Women in Communications organization at Syracuse University recently hosted a panel on sexual assault in the workplace in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications will host a discussion on the evolution of women’s roles in media in light of the #MeToo movement on Wednesday.

Learning about sexual assault and harassment in the workplace may not minimize students’ fears, but these conversations do provide an outlet to speak to how to change the culture around sexual assault.

Allie Wahl, president of SU’s Women in Communications organization, said that before this semester, her professors didn’t always discuss harassment in the workplace. But now, it’s become a common classroom topic, given the unveiling of sexual misconduct in media professions. Wahl said she knows sexual assault happens across all professions, and she wanted to add more to the conversation as a student.

“As a graduating senior, I have more stake in the conversation of knowing what I’m going into about a month, which is crazy,” she said. “But I think it’s important to hear about (sexual assault in the workplace).”

When conversations about sexual assault start in the classroom, they can take root to create proactive change. Future generations will become less tolerant of sexual assault and misconduct, and the mysteries surrounding these problems can be addressed with collective action.

Amanda Nickerson, director of the Alberti Center of Bullying Abuse Prevention at the State University of New York at Buffalo, said in an email that although it’s critical to have conversations about sexual assault on college campuses, they shouldn’t be exclusive to college students. UB recently held an event called “#NotMe: A Panel Discussion on Preventing Sexual Harassment and Assault in Adolescence,” which included high school students.

“… I think this is even a more neglected group in terms of these conversations than college students,” Nickerson said.

Conversations like these must stay alive because with this spread of knowledge comes the power to address and prevent assault and harassment incidents. So, the next time you see a poster advertising these discussions, make time in your schedule to go. You’d be surprised at what you’ll learn.

Through these conversations, universities can create braver students and compassionate professionals.

Lianza Reyes is a sophomore broadcast and digital journalism major. She can be reached at lireyes@syr.edu or on Twitter @ReyesLianza.

Published on April 16, 2018 at 8:07 pm