I am beginning to write an Op-Ed article about what I personally learned about the social problem of Sexual Harassment and how it hurts and damages the victims and survivors of it.
When I was a 25 year-old graduate student I was sexually harassed for six months by a female college professor who had the power to determine whether or not I would receive my degree. My intention in writing this Op-Ed article is to be helpful and to increase awareness, understanding, support, empathy, and compassion for the victims and survivors. They deserve to be treated with DIGNITY and RESPECT.
It finally ended for me when the professor who I was serving as a teaching assistant for confronted my harasser and told her that she would report her to the university authorities if she did not stop it immediately. This took some bravery and courage on her part because my harasser had more seniority than she did.
That she did this was a surprise to the entire university community because “Debbie” was a lesbian who was widely-regarded as being a “man-hater” and “male-basher”. Having sat in on many of her excellent classroom lectures, I could see how people could have gotten this impression.
After it ended, some other graduate students told me that Debbie had told them in confidence that she helped me because I was the only male in the entire academic department of about 80 males who she genuinely liked as a human being because I was “kind” to people.
This experience taught me something about why we should not be too quick to stereotype and judge others as well as why, as my mother always told me, we should view and treat others as unique individuals rather than as part of some group.
