Despite the rise of the #MeToo movement drawing attention to the prevalence of workplace sexual harassment in Arizona and across the U.S., men continue to show limited concern about the phenomenon. In fact, U.S. men are reportedly less concerned about harassment in the workplace than they were before the rise of the movement. They also are increasingly likely to believe that others are “too sensitive” about sexual harassment concerns.
According to a recent Gallup poll, 70 percent of women and 53 percent of men say that workplace sexual harassment is a major problem. While 46 percent of men say that people do not pay enough attention to workplace harassment, 61 percent of women say the same. Among the female respondents, 48 percent said they had experienced harassment personally. This marked a 6 percent increase since 2017. A strong majority of Americans continue to see sexual harassment as a serious problem, but 13 percent more men did in 2017 than in the later poll. Unlike the changes shown in men’s views, women’s perspectives on harassment did not show a statistically significant difference.
The Gallup polling agency began measuring public attitudes toward workplace sexual misconduct in 1998 after harassment allegations against President Bill Clinton. At the time, 55 percent of women and 45 percent of men said that harassment was a major concern; both of these figures were much higher in 2017 and beyond. There was no question included in the poll about a reason for changed attitudes; some speculate that men may be defensive after #MeToo coverage.
Sexual harassment continues to be a significant problem for many women in the workplace, including in some of the country’s leading industries. Women who have experienced harassment and other inappropriate conduct or retaliation on the job can consult with an employment law attorney about their options to seek justice.