Thanks to @SwiftOnSecurity for the tweets about this. Harassment sucks. Period. There is no place in a civilized world for it.
I saw a tweet earlier today from @SwiftOnSecurity that really made my blood boil. It is about a woman who was fired after reporting sexual abuse in the workplace to HR. Released from her contract and fired by the actual firm she worked for. Here are the links to the Reddit posts Swift tweeted:
Original post: https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/474q2s/having_trouble_with_a_contract_and_i_dont_know/
Followup One: https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/47qor0/update_i_am_now_jobless/
Followup Two: https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/483hgy/update_thank_you/
This troubles me a lot. We all know there are cases in all fields, but especially the Tech Industry of sexual harassment. We all also know that there are times where claims can be false, but not very often. Yes we are only getting one side of the story on this, but hearing that reporting sexual harassment got someone fired, and that a law firm admits that the odds of winning a case are slim to none is problematic. This is a systemic issue in this day and age. I do applaud the law firm for being up front and honest, not only about the chances of winning but the harassment this woman could take from the case. It does show though a sad case in a world where we want more women in tech. Heck most women that I know in tech are way better at it than I am. How though can we get past all of this?
First, realize that innocent until proven guilty is only true in a criminal case and that it never equates to the court of public opinion. Second, do not rush to judge either side of something like this, just try to weed through the facts. Third, and most importantly, stop the damn harassment, at work, in forums, on social media. Anyone, and I mean anyone can help prevent these actions. Make friends at work that can back you up. Make sure to document any and everything related to harassment so if you need lawyers, they can have a better chance of winning. Understand that there are plenty of us who will support you in your claims.
As far as the HR situation in this case, don’t let it stop you from reporting like you should. Most HR departments I know won’t stand for sexual harassment in the workplace.
I hope things do work out for this young lady. I hope that we all learn from this. I wish these things did not happen.