By having these bold conversations now,
future generations of women and men will be
less likely to experience harassment.
— Karen Tan, LCSW
President and CEO, Child & Family Service
Read more about workplace sexual harassment and safe spaces in these recent news stories.
Half of isle adults claim sexual harassment, survey finds
Honolulu Star-Advertiser November 12, 2019
Nearly half of adults have experienced sexual harassment while working in Hawaii, a new statewide survey suggests. And while women reported being harassed more than men, the disparity isn’t as great as one might think.
Two women are pushing back against sexual harassment at work and say the solution is to include everyone in the process: women and men, managers and employees, victims and perpetrators. Three people describe being sexually harassed while on the job.
The anti-sexual harassment movement is assessed in separate surveys of 426 Hawaii residents and 443 local business leaders. The latter found that 91% of local business leaders responded that workplace sexual harassment has “not impacted at all” their companies.
The forced retirement last week of former House Speaker Joe Souki has provoked a lot of fresh discussion about the "Me Too Movement" and whether it has put aspects of our friendly island culture into question. Souki claims the incidents several women complained about were so unremarkable to him he didn't remember all of them.
#MeToo in Hawaii: Progress Against Sexual Harassment
Aspen Forum on Women & Girls March 31, 2018
Rachael Wong shares her story–why she filed the complaint, her experience after the complaint became public, and her hopes for what each us can do in Hawai‘i to change our collective future.
Makana Risser Chai shares that the resignation of former Hawaii House Speaker Joe Souki to resolve sexual harassment claims is a wake-up call for Hawaii employers who thought the #MeToo movement would not happen here. It’s happening.
Former House Speaker Joseph Souki has agreed to resign from office to resolve complaints from “several” women who allege they were the targets of his unwanted advances that included sexual comments, touching and kissing, according to the Hawaii State Ethics Commission.
Hawaii Women Lawyers recently conducted a survey of its members as to the incidences and experiences of sexual harassment in the legal community...Just under 60% reported being sexually harassed at some time during their legal career.
The Hawaii Civil Rights Commission and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission look into more than 60 sexual harassment complaints each year in the Islands. And experts believe most cases are never reported or never reach those government agencies.
