This past week Eric Trump muttered the cringe-worthy words that “Ivanka is a strong, powerful woman, she would not allow herself to be subjected to it” followed by she would take it to Human Resources (which is the one thing he said that I actually agree with). Well, Eric the idea that strong, powerful women do not allow themselves to be sexually harassed and play into rape culture. I will explain why.
Let start with the fact that it is no one’s responsibility to make sure they are not harassed. All women do in that situation is exist. It was not their duty to not allow themselves to be harassed, it is the other person’s duty to not harass. Victim blaming in any aspects is not okay. Victim blaming here leaves the door open to victim blaming for rape later. We need to nip it in the bud at small issues so it does not escalate to larger issues.
Now let us go with the idea that somehow the power or strength a woman has anything to do with if she is harassed or not. Plenty of women in a position of power still get sexually harassed. Plenty of women who are strong, empowered women that have been sexually harassed both in the workplace and out of it. Women get sexually harassed with their only crime being that they are born with a vagina. There is nothing to do with how powerful, strong, or attractive a women is which changes if she is harassed or not.
One thing I do support that he said reports any instance of sexual harassment to HR. If you are handling sexual harassment at work then go to your HR department immediately. If anyone tells you that you have somehow brought on yourself then ignore them. If they are in human resources and someone tells you? Then report them while you are at it.
You deserve to be respected, regardless of how “strong” you are. You deserve to feel safe and not like you are targeted in your workplace. You are not allowing yourself to be harassed. We have to also teach out boys and girls that to make a change. So go teach them that because this election season certainly will not.