Here’s a mystery. As a Union Rep (and sometime Branch Chair) in an organisation where the management- at all levels — was 90% female, I still had the Devil of a job getting any action on cases of sexual harassment.

HR/CEO (both female): “Well, if you insist, we can arrange some mandatory awareness training for him -we’ll make it across the organisation so he won’t feel singled out, OK?”

Me: “Not good enough! We need to fire the slimy git! Also, people need to know why. Make an example.”

CEO: “Oh, we can’t do that! He might take it to court, and that’s a reputational risk for us.”

Be it noted, I had written statements from victims and witnesses.

In the end, I had a quiet chat with the offender, and he resigned. Unfortunately, I couldn’t do much about anything he might do elsewhere.

Later, when I was Branch Chair, I had the following conversation with another victim.

Me: “Well, if this has been going on for that long, why didn’t you speak to X (my predecessor) about it?”

She: “Oh, she’d have made me put in a formal complaint. I’d’ve had to write it all down and tell a lot of people about it and persuade people to be witnesses, if I could. Everybody would know, and the management wouldn’t do anything anyway!”

Me: “OK, so why are you telling me all this if you don’t want to make a complaint?”

She “Well, I thought you could talk to him? Do your Hannibal Lecter thing? You’re scary when you go all quiet and polite. People don’t want to cross you.”

This is no way to run a railroad!

But if someone can explain to me why this goes on in a woman-dominated (both numerically and in terms of seniority) organisation, I’d be very grateful! I no longer work for that organisation, but I do hope that #MeToo has given the women there more support and courage!