Casa Myrna Hosts U.S. Reps Clark, Pressley for Press Conference on Anti-Workplace Harassment Bill
From left: US Rep. Katherine Clark, Jane Doe Inc. Executive Director Debra Robbin, Casa Myrna CEO Stephanie Brown, US Rep. Ayanna Pressley, and Katia Santiago-Taylor, Advocacy and Legislative Affairs Manager at the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center.
On Tuesday, April 23, 2019, Casa Myrna was honored to host Massachusetts Congresswomen Katherine Clark (MA-5) and Ayanna Pressley (MA-7) for a press conference to discuss their new Bringing an End to Harassment by Enhancing Accountability and Rejecting Discrimination (Be HEARD) in the Workplace Act, which aims to curb harassment and sexual violence in the workplace.
Casa Myrna is proud to stand with organizations across the country, including Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC), Jane Doe Inc., and 32BJ SEIU (all of whom joined us for the event), in support of this sweeping and long overdue legislation. As Rep. Pressley put it, “I am sobered by the fact that in 2019, we still need to make the case for safe and inclusive workplaces–where all workers, regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, age, and disability are treated with dignity and the respect that they deserve.”
The Be HEARD in the Workplace Act strengthens protections for workers and ensures that they have access to the resources they need to seek justice. Importantly, it also expands workplace protections to cover workers in small businesses, independent contractors, interns, and volunteers.
As Rep. Clark put it, “From Hollywood to Congress, restaurants to farm fields, women and men in every type of workplace have seen harassment and discrimination be brushed aside for far too long. Today, we have a simple message: Time’s up.”
Before their press conference, Rep. Clark and Rep. Pressley joined Casa Myrna staff and board members for a discussion of the bill and how they can continue to support the movement to end domestic and sexual violence. The press conference was covered by the Associated Press, WBUR, the Boston Herald, and other national and local media outlets.
Below, you can read our CEO Stephanie Brown’s statement explaining the intimate connections between workplace harassment and the safety & well-being of survivors of domestic violence. While working as a server as a young woman, Stephanie experienced sexual harassment on a regular basis.
Her reflections reinforce the the experiences of Rep. Pressley, who commented that her own time working in the hospitality industry, which left her “acutely aware of the powerlessness that many workers feel in what is too often deemed an invisible workforce.”
Statement by Casa Myrna CEO Stephanie Brown
I am Stephanie Brown, CEO of Casa Myrna, an organization working to end domestic and dating violence. Many organizations support this significant piece of legislation, and Casa Myrna is happy to add our name to the list.
Like domestic violence, harassment and discrimination thrive in the shadows, in secrecy, and in shame. Victims are isolated from supports. They face retaliation when they speak up or challenge the person or system abusing them.
For many survivors of domestic violence, economic security is the only way out of an abusive relationship. Employment, and the control over their own finances that comes with it, are often the key to living free from abuse. People most vulnerable to discrimination and harassment in the workplace are also those most likely to be trapped in an abusive relationship: those in low-wage jobs who are, predominantly, people of color; those for whom English is not their first language; people with disabilities; people who are undocumented; LGBTQ+ people; and older people.
The Be HEARD in the Workplace Act says to victims of harassment and discrimination that it is NOT okay. We see you, and you are not alone. That you should Be HEARD, and that it is safe to speak up. That you will be treated with respect.
This legislation affords civil rights protections for ALL people in the workplace – regardless of the size of the employer or the title or status of the employee. It demands that ALL workers should be free from harassment, abuse, and discrimination.
For many years in my youth, I was a waitress… now we would say server. My on-the-job training did not include education on policies that would protect me from harassment or whom to tell if I was harassed.
Instead, the informal orientation my more seasoned colleagues provided me included how to deal with sexual harassment. They taught me how to slide away from men – both coworkers and customers – who touched you without offending them. When they commented on your body, I was taught to sound flattered, laugh, and shake it off. No one tracked how often it happened; it happened to all of us.
No one should have to experience that kind of humiliation in their workplace. We should all be able to expect better. There were no consequences for that behavior, and there are still few now. With this legislation, there will be consequences.
At Casa Myrna, we value all identities, and believe everyone should be treated with respect and dignity. We believe every relationship should be safe and healthy, including those in the workplace.
Thank you Congresswomen Pressley and Clark for listening to the voices of survivors, advocating on their behalf, and filing this very important piece of legislation.