By now, I have already posted an article on tips of handling sexual harassment in the workplace. It is an article which my co-author Danny A. Cabulay and I wrote for our book entitled "Smart Guide to Apprenticeship and Practicum Training" published by Rex Bookstore, Inc. Philippines.
I make it a point not to share my worst experience in life, especially my experience from sexual harassment. But I guess as I try to reflect what happened in the past, it does not affect me anymore. I believe it is time for me to share so that neophytes can learn from this.
It was my very first job located in Makati. I was a fresh graduate then, eager to earn a lot, and hoping to repay my parents for the huge amount of money they spent on me while studying in a very expensive university. In that workplace, I was taught the rudiments of selling and marketing, a skill of which I was made to believe that it will make me an instant millionaire. I had supervisors to whom I would report directly, and senior associates who would coach me on the rudiments of closing a sale. Then came my first experience of sexual harassment. I experienced slight touches of my senior associate on my knees, a gesture that can be barely noticed at all, but made me slightly uncomfortable.
At first, I thought it was just a slight gesture of mistake, an overreaction of circumstances. But as I studied the Sexual Harassment Act and started lecturing about it in front of students, I get to realize, I too was a victim of sexual harassment. What is disappointing is that, I never knew that I was a victim, until I became a lecturer of sexual harassment in front of a large audience of students.
I thought to myself, maybe there are a lot of naive and vulnerable victims out there who either (1) knows that they are being subjected to sexual harassment and decide not to do anything about it; or (2) has been a victim, felt violated at one point but is not aware if it is merely an overreaction or not. Now it's clear to me that I belong to category No. 2 when I experienced my first taste of sexual harassment. But what if you belong to category No. 1? What have you done to make it stop?
This is in relation to our current situation in the Philippines. Most of us tend to do everything the easy way and never try to hurdle the hard way. People tend to be passive and never wanted to take a big leap in life.... always afraid of taking chances..... always afraid of rocking the boat.
From the way I remember my history, we have always been spoiled by countries who have occupied us for centuries and decades. What if we try to take a big leap and try to cross the steepest road, the hardest way you could ever cross in your life, could our country be different than before?
I had experiences where I just took the biggest leap of my life. I have been threatened, ridiculed, and even advised of worst things that can happen. There are times when my friends and even my parents told me I made a huge mistake in making it worst and should have shut myself up.
But if you would ask me if I would do it again, I'd say I would do it again and without remorse of conscience. My father would always tell me, "You will be judged of what you have done in life." I hope I would be judged fairly because from the way I am seeing it, I am certainly happy with the outcome I have become, all because I have come to learn never become passive in life and always take that big leap in life.
No comments:
Post a Comment