Reaffirming the Zero Tolerance Approach against Sexual Harassment in the Work Place in the City of Philadelphia.

WHEREAS, Sexual harassment knows no bounds and affects all ages, genders, industries, professions, companies, and geographies; and

WHEREAS, In 2011, an ABC News/Washington Post Poll reported that one in four women have experienced work place sexual harassment; and

WHEREAS, One in three women ages 18 to 34 have been sexually harassed at the work place; and

WHEREAS, The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reported that one third of the approximately 90,000 charges received by the EEOC in FY 2015 included an allegation of work place harassment; and

WHEREAS,

In FY 2015, the EEOC reported 29.1 percent of cases brought to the EEOC from Pennsylvania were of sex discrimination/harassment; and

WHEREAS, In FY 2014, EEOC reported almost 3 in 10 cases before EEOC were sex discrimination cases that is equivalent to 26,027 charges of sex discrimination

; and

WHEREAS, In FY 2011, the EEOC reported that 83.7 percent of sexual harassment charges were brought by women; and

WHEREAS, The EEOC reports

workplace harassment too often goes unreported. Common workplace-based responses by those who experience sex-based harassment are to avoid the harasser, deny or downplay the gravity of the situation, or attempt to ignore, forget, or endure the behavior; and

WHEREAS, The EEOC suggests that roughly

three out of four

individuals who experienced harassment never even talked to a supervisor, manager, or union representative about the harassing conduct. Employees who experience harassment fail to report the harassing behavior or to file a complaint because they fear disbelief of their claim, inaction on their claim, blame, or social or professional retaliation; and

WHEREAS, Women often encounter sexual harassment in verbal form, unwanted touching and sexual advances, or received lewd texts or emails; and

WHEREAS, Most women experience sexual harassment as an insult that undermines their self-confidence, and undermines their trust in men and people in authority; and

WHEREAS, Sexual harassment can cause serious mental, physical, and economic harm. Women, who resist harassment or complain, may be victimized or overlooked for promotion. Thus, sexual harassment is a detriment on every women’s career development and personal growth; and

WHEREAS, Sexual harassment has not minimized but has taken on new insidious forms; and

WHEREAS, Effective harassment prevention efforts must start with and involve the highest level of management of the company or organization. All levels, across all positions of an organization must have systems in place that hold employees accountable for this expectation of a diverse, inclusive, and a respectful work place; and

WHEREAS,

Public servants or publicly funded institutions must set even a higher standard as they are supported by tax payers and should therefore provide full transparency and accountability;

now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council does hereby reaffirm the zero tolerance approach against sexual harassment in the work place in the City of Philadelphia.

End