A Greek Australian Women’s non-profit organisation, Food For Though Network' aims to raise awareness about the barriers and enablers to women’s development and to inspire positive change in individuals and in the community in general.
On Wednesday the 2nd of May, the Network will hold a special event, focused on the recent worldwide movement #MeToo that has become an important agent for change for women who have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace.
One of the speakers at the event is Ms Jennifer Kanis. Ms Kanis was born in Melbourne to migrant parents, a Greek father and Italian mother. Today, she works as a Social Justice Practice Manager for a law firm.
What do you say to those who say that the #MeToo movement concerns mainly highly profiled women rather than working middle-class ones?
One of the great things of the strings of #metoo movement is that it takes away some of the shame that women often feel when they are victims of sexual harassment or sexual assault. It really says to women that this can happen to anyone and women are standing up and saying: ‘it can happen to anyone because it happens to me.’
‘Just because some people might get bigger media coverage because of their experience, I don't think is really taking away from the experience of the middle class or working class women. It's something that we can all learn from and shining a light on sexual harassment and sexual assault in any workplace is really important. It is important to acknowledge that any woman of all walks of life facing sexual harassment in their everyday lives and it's not just those who might get some media attention about their work.
How do you respond to those expressing doubts about the #MeToo movement, decrying it as causing a reversion to 'Puritanism'?
#MeToo movement is about sexual harassment and sexual assault. That's really about power, it's about control. It is not about love or desire or mutual feelings between people. It's about the actions that aren't reciprocated, about men primarily inserting power over women in ways that are unacceptable. It is not puritanical to say ‘’I don't want to be sexually harassed’’. I think it's really important to see that there is a difference between flirtation and between people expressing love and desire for each other and someone being sexually harassed.
Do you think that the work environment in today’s Australia is a ‘safe space’ for all women; Who are the most vulnerable?
Clearly, Australian workplaces are not safe places for all women because we are still hearing reports and credible stories of sexual harassment and sexual assault. One of the very sad things is that all women are vulnerable and not just women of a particular background who are you available.
What we do see, is that some good employers are taking this issue seriously. They are putting in place proper cause policies and procedures and making sure that people know what acceptable behaviour is. When there is a complaint, they act on it.
The women who are most vulnerable, are those women who work in workplaces where there are no clear policies, where the culture is one that if they speak up they are worried that they might lose their job or they are not going to be taken seriously.
In some ways, some of the most vulnerable people are those who are in an insecure work. If they're on casual work or are they doing sessional work, then it's very easy for those women to make a complaint because they might lose their job.
About the 'Food For Thought Network' event
There were three more speakers at the FFTN event: Natalie Hutchins, who is the Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Minister for Women and Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence in the Andrews Labor Government and will open the seminar; Jen Hargrave, Senior Policy Officer at Women with Disabilities Victoria and Professor of Practice and Gender Studies at Deakin University Hannah Piterman.
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