That is a complete fantasy statement with no basis in reality. Anyone who disagrees with people who give the advice to shut up and move on are a hypocrite!

Everyone gives their strong opinion on how people need to take a stand and come forward. I do believe if faced with this horrible situation anyone with the advice to “stand” would definitely not back up their statements with action. One cannot answer this with any comment unless they themselves have been in this situation. Great that people want to describe themselves as righteuos - yet when the ultimate decision comes actions are opposite.

I know for I stood up to BLATENT harassment and faced extreme retaliation and complete career ruin after being a successful executive for over 13 years.

Leave, get transferred and above all do not think for one moment you will have support from HR, your peers or even people who you once perceived as your friends and allies!

Headline “grabbers” are a catch 22. Good for the media and discussions about a real serious issue yet in reality what does the effect have on the “average” worker?

Harassment is still a misunderstood issue among many with not a complete understanding of it at all.

Training, Training and more training by large and small companies would be the most effective start.

Then just perhaps, no more discussions of whether to take a stand or not will go by the wayside along with the serious problems permeating the workforce.

If the event (corruption & harassment) really did happen, the ‘victim’ and every witness should come forward! And the people who are the ones managing the solution should not dismiss the reports!

Ignoring and denying it ever happen are just going to make the problem worse. I disagree with those consultants who advise people to shut up and move on. Why let them get away for making your life miserable?!

here is an interesting piece we worte on my site about how the UK courts are overwhelmed with claims

http://www.theglasshammer.com/news/2007/09/23/uk-news-equal-pay-tribunals-overwhelmed-with-claims/

. . .let’s make Sweating Through Fog squirm!

. . . OK - just wait till after the job interview

Hopefully the rich and powerful will finally (30+ years after first raising my consciousness) wake up and realize all people need to be treated with respect in the workplace and elsewhere.

Here is the NYT link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/02/sports/basketball/03garden-cnd.html?_r=1&ex=1349064000&en=87e19cb97b2c9b5d&ei=5088%20&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin

Yes, I marched for the ERA in the 70’s, civil rights in the 60’s, smaller battles and campaigns in the workplace in the 80’s, and much letter writing and local lobbying in the 90’s and forward. I will keep speaking out against injustices in our world and hope someday that I will not have to anymore.

for the record, i wasn’t trying to point fingers at my sources. i respect them and their ideas and work, even though we may not agree on every point. otherwise, i wouldn’t interview them. i just wanted to point out that this difference of opinion exists, and it’s obviously one i feel strongly about. in their defense, i will say that these people i interviewed (who have seen the workings of HR departments up close and personal) weren’t just spewing some ann coulter-esque crap; they were speaking to the realities of what they’ve seen in corporate america.

perhaps i should have said this above, but when i broke it down with these interviewees, they did agree that a person should try telling their harasser to cease and desist — they didn’t advise playing the demure sheep all the way. they just wanted me to know that filing a lawsuit could land you in the unemployment line. i hear that, but still feel like it’s a risk i’d take if in that position.

anyway, after talking over my reservations about this issue with a couple fellow writers and an editor i was working with, i decided to nix the harassment issue from my article because i couldn’t bear to advise people to suck it up and keep quiet. i guess that was my main point. i’m not out to name names here and degrade anyone who’s entrusted me with an interview. (and know that comments will be shut down the second anyone starts naming names… i’m already questioning the wiseness of posting about this. it’s a big fat journalistic gray area.)

After I read your interview with one of said consultants, I clicked through and found some of what she had written on sexual harassment–and found it revolting, actually. I respect your work and am relieved to read that, though you may share other ideas with this person, you don’t condone those particular beliefs.

Because honestly, she makes me wanna hurl.