“I’ve Faced Sexual Harassment,” Says Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg

She also urged companies to put into place clear policies on how allegations of sexual harassment are handled.

File image of Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@TheSilver_Spoon)

Sheryl Sandberg warned of a potential backlash against women and urged companies to put into place clear policies on how allegations of sexual harassment are handled.

In a Facebook post over the weekend, Sandberg said that she has experienced harassment while doing her job but never by anyone she’s worked for.

Like almost every woman – and some men – I know, I have experienced sexual harassment in the form of unwanted sexual advances in the course of doing my job. A hand on my leg under the table at a meeting. Married men – all decades older than I – offering “career advice” and then suggesting that they could share it with me alone late at night.

She did note, however, that in each instance the harasser had more power than she did.

I didn’t work for any of these men. But in every single one of these situations, they had more power than I did. That’s not a coincidence. It’s why they felt free to cross that line.

Sandberg’s post

Read the full post below:

Sandberg said that the current movement taking place, following the high-profile sexual misconduct scandals of those including Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey and Matt Lauer, is empowering victims to speak up but is not enough.

She writes:

For the first time in my professional life, it feels like people are finally prepared to hold perpetrators responsible. I’m cheering... But cheering is not enough. And while this is no doubt a watershed moment in empowering victims to speak up, sharing stories – which takes immense courage by itself – is also not enough.

Sandberg stresses on “systemic, lasting changes” that protect everyone.

The Facebook executive said “too many workplaces lack clear policies about how to handle accusations of sexual harassment.”

She recommends every workplace start with clear principles and put in place policies to support them. That includes creating training sessions on proper workplace behavior, taking all claims seriously, establishing an investigation process and taking swift, decisive action against wrongdoing.

“We have to be vigilant to make sure this happens,” Sandberg further writes adding, “I have already heard the rumblings of a backlash: “This is why you shouldn't hire women.” Actually, this is why you should.”

(With inputs from AP.)

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