Sexual Harassment and the IEEE Elza Erkip, President, IEEE Information Theory Society

Culture and Climate of an Organization Culture of an organization: Collective values, beliefs and principles of organizational members (Wikipedia). Climate of an organization: Recurring patterns of behavior, attitudes and feelings that characterize life in the organization (Wikipedia). Culture deep and stable, climate easier to assess and change.

Role of Culture/Climate in Sexual Harassment NASEM report is based on decades of research. See IEEE Spectrum, November 2018. System-wide changes to the culture and climate in higher education are needed to prevent and effectively respond to sexual harassment. Professional societies have the potential to be powerful drivers of change through their capacity to help educate, train, codify, and reinforce cultural expectations for their respective scientific, engineering, and medical communities. The cumulative effect of sexual harassment is significant damage to research integrity and a costly loss of talent in academic sciences, engineering, and medicine.

Hostile sexism: Reflecting negative views of women who challenge traditional gender roles

Forms of Sexual Harassment Gender harassment Sexist hostility and crude behavior. Verbal and nonverbal behaviors that convey insulting, hostile and degrading attitudes to women. Unwanted sexual attention Unwelcome verbal or physical sexual advances. Sexual coercion When favorable professional or educational treatment is conditioned on sexual activity.

28% of IEEE Women have experienced unwanted sexual advances. IEEE Women say negative outcomes more prevalent in industry.

What Can Professional Organizations Do? Enact new codes of conduct and new rules related specifically to conference attendance. Include sexual harassment in codes of ethics and investigate reports of sexual harassment. Support and design programs that prevent harassment and provide skills to intervene when someone is being harassed. More generally, improve transparency and accountability, and provide support for the target. Alternative and less formal ways to record information about an incident, approaches that prevent the target from experiencing or fearing retaliation. Source: NASEM Report on Sexual Harassment

Source: NASEM Report on Sexual Harassment Retaliation The least common response for women is to formally report the sexually harassing experience. For many, this is due to an accurate perception that they may experience retaliation or other negative outcomes associated with their personal and professional lives. Retaliation impacts not only the complainant, but also her supporters. When the accused is part of a powerful group, the whole group can retaliate. Abuse of power directed to the complainant and her supporters. Source: NASEM Report on Sexual Harassment

What Does IEEE Do? Member Conduct Complaints (IEEE Policies, Section 7.10 ) Members can be expelled, suspended or censured. Onerous and lengthy process. Identity of the complainant revealed to the accused. Not tailored for sexual harassment. Warning System for Repetitive Unprofessional Behaviors, a.k.a “Yellow Card Policy” (IEEE MGA Manual, Section 2.11.C) Repeat offenses may lead to sanctions, otherwise complaint dismissed after five years. No tools at the S/C level to deal with sexual harassment.

What Can IEEE Do? Important first steps (ASAP) Conference Code of Conduct Already approved, more in Conference Committee Report. Details to be finalized. Anonymous reporting. Comprehensive changes to existing policies. New policies for sexual harassment. Tools for S/C’s to improve climate and culture. Other professional organizations Association for Computing Machinery American Astronomical Society American Geophysical Union International Society of Bayesian Analysis