A CASE STUDY ON A SECURITY AGENCY’S RESPONSE IN ADDRESING SEXUAL HARRASMENT OF ITS FEMALE, Study notes of Sociology of Gender

Download A CASE STUDY ON A SECURITY AGENCY’S RESPONSE IN ADDRESING SEXUAL HARRASMENT OF ITS FEMALE and more Study notes Sociology of Gender in PDF only on Docsity!

A CASE STUDY ON A SECURITY

AGENCY’S RESPONSE IN

ADDRESING SEXUAL

HARRASMENT OF ITS FEMALE

SECURITY GUARDS

Presented by:

Prince Andrei Tinga

Mark Jovan Manabat

Kathleen Joy Banzalan

Liyann Del Mundo

Synopsis

Working in the security industry as a female security guard is unsatisfactory due to the nature of the job. Although there are benefits and a high demand for private security guards, the pay is low and insufficient to support a family; imagine how much worse it is for single female parents who work as security guards. There are no opportunities for advancement, and because work is scarce, female security guards who are hired do not want to move on and find other job opportunity. For these women, there is no choice because they’d rather have a stable job than nothing at all. But this job isn’t something to be called ‘stable’ as well because there is no tenure security guard, hence security agencies compete for the right to operate on campus on a yearly basis. The security guards hope to be absorbed by the next agency they applied for. The guards are constantly concerned that they will not be absorbed and will thus be forced to look for work elsewhere or worse be laid off. The majority of the lady guards were subjected to some form of harassment, though one respondent claim that she is not a potential sexual harassment victim due to her advanced age. There are also misconceptions about the indicators of sexual harassment, despite the fact that respondents are aware when they are uncomfortable with certain actions taken by harassers. Respondents appear to have a low level of awareness about their rights as women and gender issues that may affect them. However, everyone agreed that a union or group representing security guards would be extremely beneficial. Because of its management style and the way, they treat their employees, the Security Agency studied has the best reputation among the lady guards so far. However, the agency lacks standard workplace guidelines and policies. It also does not include women's rights in training and seminars. In addition, there are no specific guidelines or policies in place regarding sexual harassment at the agency. Although the agency is aware of the anti-sexual harassment law, its employees have little knowledge of it because the possibility and feasibility of forming unions among security guards should be investigated. The guards should be permitted to form organizations within the agency, such as core officers, etc. This should be a yearly standard procedure for all guards, regardless of whether they are still employed by the previous agency. This will be used to organize future work among themselves. The university should require in its contracts with security agencies that all agencies have implementing rules and guidelines regarding RA 7877, or the anti-sexual harassment law. The contract should also require all security agencies to include gender and development issues in their security guard training.

Major Arguments

 The study seeks to contribute to the literature of sexual harassment, focusing on the most neglected subjects, the security guards whose main function is to protect the property and personal welfare of other people.  It was argued that security guards are often unseen and unnoticed yet play a critical role in safety and peace-keeping on campus and that a university that envisions a just and humane society should also look out for the welfare of those who keep it safe. Nonetheless, it was concluded that not all lady guards experienced sexual harassments, although most experienced some form or type of sexual harassment.  It was argued that acts of violence against women are not isolated events in particular society but are, in fact, a global phenomenon. Hence, it touches all aspects of women’s lives, thus, sexual harassment is a pervasive form of sexual exploitation and has devastating impact on women.  Most of Asia’s women workers are in jobs with low security, low pay, low conditions of work, low status - all characteristics which enhance the risk of being coming subjected to sexual harassment.  All women are potential victims of sexual harassment but some are more valuable than others. On that note, the risk of sexual harassment are young women and men at work - women in male- dominated occupations or in situations where large numbers of women are supervised by small numbers of men. Long story short, it was argued that the woman is harassed because of gender hierarchy that subjugates women under men.  Study on sexual harassment in UP Diliman found out that sexual harassment was considered an urgent problem on the campus by all the sectors, it recommended that sexual harassment must be defined in a clear unequivocal and easily comprehensible manner suited to Philippines culture, and that the various forms should be enumerated and perhaps illustrated.  Men hold more power because they have access to resources and opportunities, which makes women not their equal in society. Hence, women’s lack of access to resources leaves her defenseless and vulnerable to forms of oppression such as subordination, and inequality and violence.