On Office Sexual Harassment

Use this forum to discuss the June 2018 Book of the Month"The Girl Who Knew da Vinci" by Belle Ami
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Fixnwrtr
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Re: On Office Sexual Harassment

Post by Fixnwrtr »

Angela's initial forbearance is what most young girls are taught. She is following what she is taught and holding true to her training and her insufficient knowledge of such situations, which is why such issues have lasted so long. Had women been trained to see and to call out such Machiavellian behavior Machiavelli would not have been such a force and his techniques so widely published. Women would have been spared millennia of grief and servitude.
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Post by Marinella_V »

Sometimes unprecedented situations will test us. Bear in mind to always have a strong heart and mind, by that we can live and live again.
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Post by LarissaRunamuck »

The victim is not responsible for molding the other person's actions. How she chose to respond is simply a means of survival. We measure our options and the consequences and make choices based on what we think is best, or at least the lesser of two evils. In that case, choosing to prioritize her career at first is simply a situational decision. And as the other person's actions alter, so do hers. When the situation changes, that's when a reassessment needed to be made. It is both a sign of weakness and of strength. It is a sign of weakness to allow yourself to be bullied without trying to alter it, however it is also a sign of strength to be able to bear it at all.
“But need alone is not enough to set power free: there must be knowledge.”
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Post by Torypee »

Sexual harassment in this book was published in the most matured way possible.... Angela handled it quite well, as it's not easy telling on a superior..... Wisdom is profitable to direct
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Mallory Porshnev
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Post by Mallory Porshnev »

I think people need to stand up to those who are doing them wrong. So, it was definitely a weakness on her part.
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Post by uyky »

My opinion is also that it is neither strength or a weakness. It is just trying to make the best with what she has to. It is hard to react right or wrong in such situations or even tell what is the right or wrong reaction. To each its own. Of course, it is obvious that no man like that should hold a position of power, but that is sadly not the case.
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Post by Kat Berg »

"Given her circumstances, do you think Angela's initial forbearance of Dr. Scordato's sexual advances to save her career is a measure of character weakness or strength?"

I am not sure that it can be broken down quite like that. Sexual harassment in the workplace (as any sexual harassment can be) is very confusing and it is not always easy to know what or how to respond, especially when your livelihood depends on the job. I really don't think it is either weakness or strength, but rather just the time it takes to figure out the best response.
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Post by Britty01 »

Ever_Reading wrote: 11 Jun 2018, 15:41 I have to agree with those who say it is neither a sign of weakness nor strength. It is hard to stick to the extremes with such issues. For females working in male-dominated fields, it is not easy for them to simply put their "foot down," especially when it might cause them to lose their careers. Angela worked very hard to get to where she is and I feel her patience with the situation is commendable. Either way, she is not in the wrong here, Dr. Scordato is. Let us not forget that.
I agree.
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Post by Humble8 »

Like the viewer said "it is not easy to report someone who is in power over you or as the head"so For Angela I think is not weakness thank God she over come the situation.
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Post by Surakshita-11 »

I don't think that the way Angela handled the situation shows that she was weak. In fact she acted in a very sensible way. Because in reality it indeed is difficult to face people who are higher in post and power than us
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Post by v i n »

sexual harassment is a delicate issue to deal with especially if your career is at stake. many young people out their faces this challenge every day but because their career is at stake and that's what we depend in t we just fall into the trap.
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Post by DeeA »

Lunastella wrote: 09 Jun 2018, 07:27 I´ve been in this situation. Well, I´m not an art historian but in a "he can make or break your career" and my livelihood depended on the job, and it´s very hard to totally put your foot down, even with all the feelings of disgust and all the red flags. I think Angela acted very humanly, which gives major points to the author in my opinion because it´s a very delicate topic to handle.
I agree with this fear for the loss of your source of survival can force one to keep quiet in such situations, no matter how disgusted you may feel about it.
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Post by Stanley Ann »

I think Angela solved the situation in a mature manner by resisting the push towards sex so as to secure her job.
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Stanley Ann
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Post by Stanley Ann »

prospero360 wrote: 11 Jun 2018, 12:47 I think Angela handles the situation very well, which is one of the things I like about the book
She indeed handles this situation maturely.
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Post by mubson1992 »

katiesquilts wrote: 09 Jun 2018, 03:14 This is definitely a valid and relevant question, considering the recent events with #MeToo and the Nobel Prize scandal.
I wish I could say that Angela should have just put her foot down and pushed back, as that's what I've done before. However, in my case, the man was at the same level as me in the company and trying to play it off as a joke, but I told him flat out that I'd talk to HR if his behavior continued. He was scared for his job after that and couldn't even look at me in the face, but since Scordato's in a much higher position than Angela, I doubt that would work...
I agree
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