European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 20, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Sunday october 20, 1991 the stars and stripes b Page 3harassment a hot topic on base filing complaint takes guts attorney says by Crystal la l re an o staff writer the perception of sexual harassment in the military has gone through some changes since the Days when women began breaking into the mostly male realm of military service says a civilian attorney in Europe. A when women first came into the military in Large numbers they wanted to try to be As Tough As the Guys Quot said Robert Fiore with the Law firm of of Haire and Fiore in Frankfurt Germany. A they d cuss and joined in the dirty language. They took a lot of abuse just because they wanted to be accepted a he said. A a lot of women decided to put up with it to prove they were Tough. I think that has changed a a at the same time though because it is the military there Are pressures to keep your Mouth shut and not be known As a complainer a he added. The Issue of sexual harassment in the workplace has become a routine topic of conversation across America As Well As at military bases in Europe since the controversy that arose out of the Clarence Thomas supreme court nomination hearings. Accusations by Anita Hill a Law professor at the University of Oklahoma that Thomas engaged in sexual misconduct have brought the Issue to Center stage. A department of defense sexual harassment Survey released in september 1990 showed that 22 percent of Active duty military respondents indicated that they had experienced some form of sexual harassment ranging from sexual jokes to actual assault while at work during the previous year. But More than 75 percent also reported that policies had been established at their duty stations to address the Issue. A july memorandum from Secretary of defense Dick Cheney to the secretaries of the military departments and other agencies cites Survey research that a confirms a need to take stronger action against this form of Cheney called the Cost of sexual harassment High a in reduced Mission effectiveness in the suffering of victims and in wasted he called on the agencies to a redouble our efforts to provide an environment free of sexual Man or woman you Are entitled to respect because you Are a human being and that human being has dignity a Brig. Gen. Thomas Sikora such sentiments Are shared by commanders in Europe. A from my perspective As a commander there has always been one Bottom line All along. And that a the business of human dignity and respect a said Brig. Gen. Thomas f. Sikora commander of the 1st personnel come in Schwet Zingen Germany. A Man or woman you Are entitled to respect because you Are a human being and that human being has dignity. One of the most frequent Means of violation is the sexual harassment Issue a the business of altering your perspective about a Soldier based on sex a he said. Since taking command of the 1st personnel come about six weeks ago Sikora has been visiting his units and telling commanders to talk to their people about these issues often. A every time i talk to soldiers i talk about it a a not about sexual harassment specifically but the whole Issue of human dignity and respect a the general said. A the most important part of that is they have to know that you give a Damn that somebody will react if a Man or woman says we have a because the Burden of proof lies with the accuser women often wait for collaboration said Fiore who has represented americans in Europe for about 30 years. A they will wait until they hear about another woman or two and they will get their Heads together and file a complaint a Fiore said. A but it takes some nerve and a lot of guts to see the process through he said. The sexual harassment complaint process is a Stren takes oath Clarence Thomas the newest member of the supreme court takes the constitutional oath of office from supreme court Justice Byron r. White on Friday at the White House. President Bush looks on while Thomas wife Virginia holds a Bible at the outdoor ceremony on the South Lawn. Thomas 43, is Only the second Black to serve on the nation s highest court. Nous Quot and one that a takes a lot of perseverance a because the system can be extremely slow said Mary Grafin an attorney with the Law office of of Haire and Fiore. A Many times the offences Are not overt and can be difficult to Quot some Are timid to come Forward because they know it can jeopardize their careers and performance ratings a she said. A they know that Over time a Way can be found to effect a backlash. There Are Subtle and not so Subtle ways to Tell people not to make pursuing a sexual harassment complaint takes a lot of discipline and entails personal sacrifices says a . Government employee in Europe who fought the complaint procedure Battle four years before winning a favourable judgment. A you have to strike a balance Between pursuing the complaint and your personal life a the woman said. She asked that her identity not be revealed because she is still employed by the . Government. A spend 30, 45 or 60 minutes a Day and write Down your thoughts plan your strategy then forget it. Let it go a she said. A you can to afford to let it consume you or lose your perspective on the four year Battle to a defend herself against the physically aggressive actions of a supervisor has changed her life in Many ways she said. During the ordeal she lost friends who Felt she was a too she became suspicious of people who offered to listen to the details of her struggle. Today years after the so called Victory of a settlement she still has trouble trusting people and she is Overly cautious about romantic relationships. �?o1 built a huge Wall around myself a she said. �?o1 have managed to bring about 75 percent of it Down but there is so much More 1 must do. A there is a Price to be paid and some May say that the Price is too High and they have that right a she said. A but i Call what happened professional rape. Filing a complaint is a form of a i could t have done it any other Way. Now i can look at myself in the drive gains strength after hearings Pittsburgh a an anti pornography Campaign featuring the slogan a real men done to use porn was in the works Long before the Clarence Thomas hearings. But last weeks graphic testimony before the Senate judiciary committee about Thomas alleged interest in a rated movies Only added momentum to the Campaign say its organizers. A we have planned it any better a Chris Cooper executive director of the coalition against pornography Kansas qty said Friday. Fifty cities including Pittsburgh have been chosen for billboards that feature pictures of so called a real men a a doctor Pilot and football player a who reject porn. Some Are Well known including Washington redskins defensive end Charles Mann and John l. Testrake Pilot of hijacked Twa flight 847. Also pictured is astronaut Jim Irwin one of 12 men to walk on the Moon. Irwin died aug. 8. In some cities local executives Are featured. Last week 24 billboards were displayed in the Pittsburgh area said Dorn Checkley executive director of the Pittsburgh coalition against pornography. So far they be generated lots of Calls from supporters and a few from pranksters he said. A this is meant to stir things up a Checkley said. A we want to make those men who use porn uncomfortable make them examine their
