To the Editor,
Sexual harassment is a problem that has permeated our society. It is in
entertainment, in businesses, in schools, in every level of politics, and in
our communities. I have heard stories from so many of my friends, my
constituents, and my colleagues of being sexually assaulted or harassed, and
many of these stories do not end with the aggressor being held accountable
for their actions.
In the wake of the "#MeToo" movement and in response to the many allegations
of sexual harassment and assault that have come forward in recent weeks, I
have introduced legislation to create a unified policy to address sexual
assaults involving New York State employees. This is one step toward a
better system to protect people in the workplace from being targeted, and
give them recourse if they become victims of someone they work with.
However, this is not enough. Every entity must look internally at their
policy for protecting their own, and all allegations must be investigated.
It is unacceptable to brush these things under the rug or to turn a blind
eye. I, and many other women, am tired of hearing the "as a father, as a
husband, I am horrified" speeches upon the media's coverage of a problem
that should have never been allowed to persist. Furthermore, no person
should have to live in silence because of something that happened to them.
The only outcome worse than a blind eye is when a victim does not feel that
they will be taken seriously when coming forward about being harassed or
assaulted.
This is not an issue of one bad actor, or one career track having a toxic
environment. That said, people must be held accountable for their actions.
It does not matter if you are the President, a CEO, a doctor, a parent, a
colleague, a boss, a classmate, or anyone else, an adult must be held
responsible for their actions.
Sandy Galef
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