Last week the career of three members of the US Congress ended, resulting from allegations of sexual improprieties against women. Here in the US, over the past two months there has been an avalanche of accusations of sexual harassment, profiled in the media, that has ended the careers of prominent men in entertainment, media, business and politics.
The repeated accusations of sexual harassment by multiple women has given rise to a rush of questions as to the reasons for the sudden explosion of these allegations.
More questions than answers
The many questions being posed include: Are the accusations being made acts of vindictiveness by spurned women? Why wasn’t the allegations of sexual harassment made when the women were harassed? Why make the accusations, in some cases, decades after the act? Why men of seemingly up-right social standing and character act with such indiscipline around women?
These are questions without easy answers. But, there’s one common thread whether accusations of sexual harassment are made against prominent men, or the “average Joe.” Men have strong sexual attraction for women, and while some men can control this attraction some can’t.
One may recall former US president Jimmy Carter, an avowed born-again Christian, saying he was guilty of lusting in his heart for women.
Caribbean-American men reluctant
While the recent sexual harassment controversy rages men in the Caribbean-American community seem reluctant to discuss, or comment, on the issue publicly. It’s believed one reason for this is these men aren’t sure if they are sexually harassing women as this is defined in the United States.
In Caribbean culture women are often described in suggestive lyrics in song – reggae, soca, and dancehall. Men relay risqué jokes to women in and outside the workplace; and some men are uninhibited in openly touching women inappropriately. These acts are done without some being aware they are actually harassing women. In fact, while some women may complain among themselves about the lewd behavior of some men in Caribbean society, it’s unusual for complaints to me made to those in authority. However, in America questionable or inappropriate behavior against women that is taken for granted in the Caribbean is regarded as sexual harassment.
Wives plus multiple “outside’ women
Also, in the Caribbean men with wives, but also having multiple “outside” women, are sometimes highly rated. Such men are often dubbed as “lovers.” Several Caribbean men, including prominent leaders in public and private sectors have gained folkloric status because of their womanizing behavior. In America such a womanizer is determined to be somewhat perverted.
Some are concerned that the repeated accusations of sexual harassment will affect the way man relate to women. Will men be comfortable to hug women when they greet them? Will a woman be comfortable to be hugged? How will words a male supervisor say to a female employee be interpreted? Will a seemingly innocent compliment be interpreted as sexual harassment? Will business lunches between opposite sex couples be threatened, because of potential sexual connotations? Again, there are no easy answers to these questions.
Impact of sterner rules/laws doubtful
Meanwhile, there are those who are seeking sterner rules within the workplace, and society, to deter sexual harassment, with stiffer penalties for the perpetuators. But, there are existing rules and laws which have failed to deter sexual harassment.
The truth is, while rules and laws will make some men think twice about behaving inappropriately in relating to women, these don’t quench the natural sexual desires of some men.
Exert more discipline
The answer, the solution, to the problem is for men, prominent and average Joes, to act more responsibly, and try exerting more discipline towards women. There’s no justification in the argument that women dress or act too sexually provocative. Men must learn to control their sexual urges. A male boss in a workplace of mostly women must determine to be disciplined; so too must male teachers and male coaches of teen girls; so too must men standing on street corners where sexual provocative women walk by,
Maybe, like Jimmy Carter, men will be better off being satisfied lusting in their hearts, rather than acting with indiscipline and inappropriately with women who have no interest in such action. There’ll always be attractive, appealing women in society. But, times have morphed into a “Look, but don’t touch” environment. Unless men begin acting responsibly, and with discipline around women they may be attracted to, they run the risk of being accused of sexual harassment.
