Few would describe Sonia Furstenau as a victim.

From inspirational school teacher to community activist, to elected local government official to the first Green Party woman to ever be voted into the B.C. legislature, hers is a resume of public service and involvement that boldly states B次元官网网址渓eader.B次元官网网址�

Yet there she was on Oct. 19, before the eyes of her peers and the eyes the province in B.C.B次元官网网址檚 highest house of government, saying B次元官网网址淢e Too.B次元官网网址�

Watching the Me Too movement B次元官网网址� a hashtag that unites victims of sexual harassment and assault B次元官网网址� unfold on social media, the realized she wanted to bring attention to the issue in the legislature B次元官网网址� a place where she was surprised to see a level of embedded sexism.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think thereB次元官网网址檚 a woman who can say that they can look back on their life and not see moments of sexual harassment and discrimination,B次元官网网址� Furstenau said.

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Me Too has done groundbreaking work in establishing just how prevalent such moments are, and how fed up women are with the situation.

But for many women to deem it a success, two things have to change: the workplace culture that allows such behaviour to fester, and the tools in place to help women find justice.

The criminal code of Canada describes sexual assault as when a person uses non-consensual force or threat B次元官网网址渋n circumstances of a sexual nature such that the sexual integrity of the victim is violated.B次元官网网址�

Sexual harassment can be more subtle.

According to the , sexual harassment in the workplace is defined as conduct of a sexual nature which is gender-based, unwelcome and detrimentally affects the work environment or leads to adverse job-related consequences.

In practical terms it can be anything from demeaning gender-based jokes, comments and job assignments, to sexual advances.

Such things might seem obvious, but some workplaces are still emerging from an old-boy environment, where concern gets minimized with laughter or dismissed by fear.

HollywoodB次元官网网址檚 Harvey Weinstein scandal has drawn particular attention to the issue of men misusing workplace power and influence for sexual purposes.

FurstenauB次元官网网址檚 own Me Too experience was an example of the latter. It occurred when she was a young woman working at a restaurant.

B次元官网网址淭he owner came in and walked up behind me and put his hands on my breasts,B次元官网网址� she said.

Fortunately, she had the family support to be able to walk away.

B次元官网网址淚 was very fortunate that I had the choice to leave the job,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淎 lot of people donB次元官网网址檛 have that choice and thatB次元官网网址檚 one problem that I think needs to be looked at.B次元官网网址�

Most women who experience sexual harassment or assault in the workplace and choose to speak up consider three options B次元官网网址� complain to your boss, complain to the police or call a lawyer. None of those paths are easy.

B次元官网网址淭here has typically been little to gain and much to lose from complaining about the conditions of oneB次元官网网址檚 employment,B次元官网网址� said Scott Anderson, associate professor of philosophy at UBC.

Anderson said people are often disadvantaged when coming forward, with relatively rare benefits, unless they happen to have significant evidence.

B次元官网网址淚n many cases, those who suffer it do not know of any others who can and will corroborate their stories, so it typically seems like a difficult case to argue, with two conflicting parties telling two very different accounts,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 only when several accusers know of each other and can offer each other supportive testimony that many accusers will expect to be taken seriously.B次元官网网址�

Anderson said it can also be much more difficult to get people to take you seriously if you are marginalized by race, poverty, sexual orientation or are just one ordinary person complaining about someone higher up in an employment hierarchy.

B次元官网网址淚 think at present there is a bit more openness to consider complaints and take them seriously, but IB次元官网网址檓 not sure how far that extends or how long it will last,B次元官网网址� he said.

By law, Canadian companies must have a sexual harassment policy in place. But just having one isnB次元官网网址檛 enough, not when staff doesnB次元官网网址檛 understand it, or feel empowered to use it.

Year-long consultation indicates need for action

In early November the Government of Canada released a reportB次元官网网址擧arassment and Sexual Violence: What We HeardB次元官网网址攁fter a year of consultations with Canadians.

The results indicated a clear need for action. Canadians pointed out that incidents of harassment and sexual violence in the workplace are not only underreported, often due to fear of retaliation, but also dealt with ineffectively when they are.

In an online survey that the government launched to better understand the types of harassing and violent behaviours that take place in Canadian workplaces, 30 per cent of respondents reported they had experienced sexual harassment at work.

Of the 1,349 respondents, 1,005 identified as female.

Respondents who experienced sexual harassment tended to work in environments with a higher ratio of men in positions of power. The report also found employees are often unaware of the reporting procedures that are available.

In response, the government announced proposed new legislation that would make it mandatory that all federal workplaces report and investigate sexual harassment allegations under health and safety regulations, and refer the matter to a trained, neutral third party if the incident is not dealt with to the complainantB次元官网网址檚 satisfaction.

A victim can also pursue criminal charges. That too is difficult B次元官网网址� for complaints lodged both inside and outside the workplace.

According to an October Stats Canada report B次元官网网址� From arrest to conviction: court outcomes of police-reported sexual assaults in Canada, 2009 to 2014 B次元官网网址� just one in five sexual assaults reported by police led to a completed court case within the six-year reference period B次元官网网址� half the proportion of completions for physical assaults.

In addition, about one in 10 sexual assaults reported by police led to a criminal conviction, and seven per cent resulted in a custody sentence.

This is compared with 23 per cent and eight per cent, respectively, for physical assaults.

B次元官网网址淪exual assault is a gendered violent crime prone to high levels of underreporting and low case retention in the Canadian criminal justice system,B次元官网网址� the report states.

B次元官网网址淎ccording to an analysis of crimes reported by police, between 2009 and 2014 there were 117,238 sexual assaults. A charge was laid by police in less than half (41 per cent) of these incidents.B次元官网网址�

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When internal policies and criminal charges fail, the next option is often taking the perpetrator or the employer to civil court. However the option is not likely to succeed if you are pursuing it alone.

Victoria-based lawyer said not only are people reluctant to come forward but the costs associated with filling a civil lawsuit are prohibitive.

B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檝e got to look at the expense as opposed to what the possible damages at the end of the day would be,B次元官网网址� Sahota said. B次元官网网址淭hat ratio just doesnB次元官网网址檛 add up unless youB次元官网网址檙e doing something like a class action. Which is what weB次元官网网址檙e doing where you can spread those costs across multiple survivors.B次元官网网址�

SahotaB次元官网网址檚 firm Acheson, Sweeney, Foley and Sahota launched a hotline for current and former members of the Canadian Armed Forces to report incidents of sexual assault or harassment. The hotline has become a way for the firm to mount a growing class action lawsuit against the Forces.

Sahota said well over a 100 people have contacted his firm to speak about their experiences. He hopes his firmB次元官网网址檚 class action will provide reconciliation for survivors of assault and work as a catalyst for change.

B次元官网网址淐oming forward (individually) hasnB次元官网网址檛 brought change. ThatB次元官网网址檚 why weB次元官网网址檙e hoping that the class action lawsuit will bring change. All the evidence that IB次元官网网址檝e come across to date demonstrates that people saying it should change isnB次元官网网址檛 enough of an incentive,B次元官网网址� he said.

Sexual harassment, assault a human rights issue: lawyer

What many might not realize, is that harassment or assault in the workplace is considered discriminatory, similar to racism. Which opens a fourth avenue: a human rights complaint.

Laura Track, a human rights lawyer with the Human Rights Clinic, works with clients who have decided to hold their employer monetarily accountable for sex-discrimination violations through the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not uncommon for people to be surprised that human rights law takes sexual harassment seriously, because our experience is that sexual harassment is so often not taken seriously,B次元官网网址� Track told Black Press Media.

ItB次元官网网址檚 that normalization has led many B次元官网网址� including the clients Track has represented B次元官网网址� to believe itB次元官网网址檚 an expectation they should have as part of their job.

B次元官网网址淚 think it really speaks to just how normalized sexual harassment has become. So many people experience it in so many different facets of their lives, that thinking about it as a human rights violation is counter-intuitive,B次元官网网址� she said.

No matter which route a complainant decides to take their case, the vulnerability to backlash is consistent, regardless of where they stand on the income spectrum.

ItB次元官网网址檚 an all-too-common reasoning a woman faces when contemplating whether to report the incident, or just let it go.

B次元官网网址淵our desire to build your career, to advance in the workplace, is sometimes dependent on the very person who is harassing you,B次元官网网址� Track said. B次元官网网址淗ow do you do that in a way that doesnB次元官网网址檛 mean your career is over?B次元官网网址�

Political arena includes instances of subtle sexism

Since beginning her political career, Furstenau said she has noticed subtle forms of sexism in both local and provincial government.

B次元官网网址淚 get asked about, and I have my appearance commented on, far more than my male colleagues do. People arenB次元官网网址檛 talking about what my male colleagues are wearing, or how they look, or if they look tired or do they need to have some food,B次元官网网址� she said.

She said sheB次元官网网址檚 also experienced uncomfortable touching.

B次元官网网址淲hat IB次元官网网址檝e reflected on and talked about with my friends and colleagues is when those moments happen to us as women weB次元官网网址檙e in a doubly vulnerable position,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淥ne, weB次元官网网址檙e uncomfortable with whatB次元官网网址檚 happening and two, the onus is on us to explain to the person why their behaviour is out of line and often itB次元官网网址檚 not a comfortable thing to do so that carries on.B次元官网网址�

She added that unless politicians insist on an evolution in parliamentary practice and politics, harassment will remain fundamentally the same, creating an exclusive and uninviting environment.

B次元官网网址淭he goal should be that this is an everyoneB次元官网网址檚 world,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 would say weB次元官网网址檙e not going to see a fundamental shift in the makeup of our legislatures and our parliaments as long as we accept that itB次元官网网址檚 a manB次元官网网址檚 world.B次元官网网址�

During his time studying sexual harassment, Anderson said he has undoubtedly seen change in a positive direction, although B次元官网网址渦neven and incomplete.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲omen have made gains in most or maybe all fields, though at different rates,B次元官网网址� Anderson said. B次元官网网址淎 variety of professions that were entirely or heavily male-dominated are now at par for women and men. Harassment is just one of the barriers to full social equality.B次元官网网址�

He said coming forward and standing up against sexual harassment can lead to finding allies who can add to the voice against a harasser.

Furstenau believes the Me Too hashtag conversations have worked as a catalyst to bring forward the notion that the world is a long way from women feeling safe in their workplaces or in society.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 like my daughter, who is now 10 years old, not to have a Me Too moment,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淏ut at this point we prepare our daughters for this world as opposed to having the faith that theyB次元官网网址檙e not going to experience sexual violence or sexual harassment.B次元官网网址�

With files from Ashley Wadhwani