Blind Launches #MeToo Channel

FEATURED IMAGE | Source: Teamblind Inc.

Do you feel comfortable going to HR to report workplace sexual harassment? Blind asked this question to more than 3,000 users in November 2017. The results? 42.76 percent of responders reported that they do not feel comfortable.

According to a 2016 report by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 87 to 94 percent of people harassed in the workplace do not file a formal complaint. The EEOC asserts that many victims fear the following: retaliation, that they will not be believed, that they will be blamed, or that filing a complaint will damage their career. One study found that 75 percent of employees who spoke out against workplace mistreatment did face some form of retaliation. The EEOC reports that 1 in 4 women will be the victim of sexual harassment at work. A CNBC poll claims that 27 percent of women and 10 percent of men experience sexual harassment. Cosmopolitan found that 1 in 3 women between the ages of 18 and 34 are sexually harassed. Who do these victims turn to when HR is not on their side?

Some women in the technology industry have been turning to Blind. Recognizing this, Blind has recently launched a public #MeToo channel where tech workers can anonymously submit their stories about workplace sexual harassment, sexism, gender gap, wage disparity, and discrimination. The intent behind providing a dedicated #MeToo channel is to give tech employees, particularly women, a space to freely share their stories without fear of retaliation and to elevate the voices of employees no matter what level they come from.

“I legit started bawling when I saw this pop up on my phone. I don’t even know where to start. Just, thank you to everyone at Blind for creating this channel. So many other women will feel the same way. #MeToo.” -Anonymous Tableau Employee

With the launch of the #MeToo channel, Blind hopes to bring more transparency to the workplace, empower all employees, and take a step towards creating safe work environments. Tech has helped modernize our daily lives but it’s time that the industry modernizes its own workplaces and what is socially acceptable there.