3 TIPS TO CLEAN UP A
Toxic Work Environment
AND END HARRASSMENT NOW
by Meredith Holley
W
hen Anna came to me, she
had been ignoring sexual
harassment for almost a year. She
justified her boss’s inappropriate
and aggressive behavior, saying
it was probably a cultural
misunderstanding or an age
difference. Every time something
happened, she was in shock. “This
couldn’t really be happening,” she
thought.
she felt pressure to support her
children and to prove she could be
financially self-sufficient. She kept
ignoring and justifying her boss’s
behavior because she didn’t want
to deal with it.
She thought her only options
were to ignore it, to create a huge
conflict, or to leave and lose this
job opportunity. An exceptionally
smart, capable woman, Anna
“I KNOW THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO CREATE A
HEALTHY WORK ENVIRONMENT AND END
SEXUAL HARASSMENT WITHOUT QUITTING.”
She didn’t want to give up her
job, which promised much more
money than her previous job.
Because of a recent divorce,
58 • BADASSERY MAGAZINE
was never taught that there are
safe, simple ways to end sexual
harassment and advance in her
career. Like many of us, it didn’t
even occur to her that was a
possibility.
Unfortunately, Anna came to me
after things had already gotten
physically dangerous for her
and she had quit the job. The
harassment made a huge impact
on her life because she was never
taught how to end it safely.
Some women naturally understand
how to end sexual harassment
safely, protect themselves, and
advance in their careers. I was
not one of those women, so if you
are not either, I got you. When I
encountered sexual harassment, I
was not willing to just give up on
my career to get away from my
boss, so I researched, read, went to
trainings, talked to professors, and
did whatever I could do to learn
how to end sexual harassment