A Stark State of Affairs: Gender-Based Violence in the Charitable Sector
by Elizabeth LeClair, CFRE
The charitable sector prides itself on being a force for good, but the reality is that many in our sector suffer from gender-based violence. The statistics are stark.
THE STATE OF AFFAIRS
In the 2017 Chronicle of Philanthropy/Harris Poll the following stats were revealed:
1 in 4 women in fundraising experience sexual harassment on-the-job
65% of perpetrators are donors
95% of perpetrators are male
71% of reported incidents are not acted upon by employers
We are in an unprecedented time of change in the nonprofit sector.
Employers are being forced to reckon with the aftermath of the #MeToo movement.
More fundraisers and employees are sharing their experiences of harassment—sexual or otherwise.
Most organizations—large or small—are ill-equipped to properly address allegations.
Larger nonprofits may have the policies and procedures in place, but senior leaders often lack the necessary training to navigate these difficult conversations with their employees.
THE IMPERATIVE
Employment lawyer Sara Forte wrote in an op-ed for The Globe and Mail, “Sexual-harassment complaints are good for business. Seems like a radical statement, but a radical shift is what it will take to move the needle on workplace sexual harassment.” However, we won’t be able to have these conversations in the first place unless survivors feel they can share them, which is why we need to do everything we can to make reporting sexual harassment as straightforward as possible.
Tackling an issue of this magnitude seems daunting and overwhelming.
Over the past few months, I have spoken with many individuals who want to help but don’t know where to begin. Like any significant social issue, addressing gender-based violence will take time, commitment, and dedicated resources to effect change.
TIME FOR A SYSTEMS-CHECK
A good place to start is to find out if your organization has a safe workplace policy that includes how to deal with allegations of sexual harassment.
Organizations must have a policy in place that defines what harassment is, and that it is prohibited and unacceptable in the workplace, and it should cover all stakeholders that an employee might encounter. For charitable organizations…
this must include donors!
The policy should also have a clear complaint and review process, and ideally provide an employee with an impartial third party with whom to speak with about the issue. Confidentiality and impartiality are critical to establishing the psychological safety necessary for victims to feel safe in sharing what has happened to them.
There should also be proper training for staff and board members on sexualized violence in the workplace. Bystander training provides employees with the knowledge to identify sexual harassment in the moment, and the training to intervene when necessary. Creating allies in the workplace ensures a safer work environment for everyone.
Nonprofit organizations and their boards need to have difficult conversations about the sensitive subject of sexual misconduct in the workplace. Employees need to be empowered to come forward and file complaints, despite the consequences it may have on a relationship with a donor. And most importantly, we need to listen to the stories of people who have experienced sexual harassment from a place of compassion.
WHO’S WORKING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM?
AFP Women’s Impact Initiative
Liz LeClair, Chair 2019-2020
Assess, address, and highlight specific challenges that women in the fundraising sector face
Library of research and resources available
ROSA: Canadian Women’s Foundation & After Me Too
Digital platform being developed with federal funding
Centralizes law, reporting options, how to prepare, etc., in one place
Next Gen Men
Social Enterprise co-founded by Jake Sitka and Jermal Alleyne
Focused on creating spaces to engage, educate, and empower men and boys around gender.
Vesta Social Innovation Technologies
Founded by Lucrezia Spagnolo (CEO)
An online platform and app that allows victims of sexual assault and harassment to document their experience in real time
To sign up and learn more: https://www.vestasit.com/
Liz LeClair, M.A., CFRE
Director of Major Gifts
QEII Health Sciences Centre Foundation
Liz LeClair is proud to call herself a fundraiser and a feminist. She brings more than 15 years of experience to her role as the Director of Major Gifts at the QE2 Foundation in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Born in Toronto, she has lived and worked on both coasts, working with a variety of non-profits, in a variety of sectors.
Liz is a long-standing member of AFP, serving on boards on Vancouver Island and in Halifax. She sits on the board of CFRE International, volunteers on the AFP Canada Foundation’s National Scholarship Committee, and is the incoming Chair of the AFP Women’s Impact Initiative. In January 2019, Liz published an op-ed with CBC on rampant issue of sexual harassment in the non-profit sector, putting a face to the issue. Liz is committed to speaking up about the challenges facing women and marginalized individuals in the non-profit sector.
