By Angela Hughes
Join Angela Hughes as she speaks with Fire Engineering Editor in Chief Bobby Halton during a live Google Hangout on this topic Wednesday, October 14.
Last year at Fire Rescue International in Chicago, during the iWomen Trustees’ annual meeting, we were discussing strategies for representing women firefighters into the future. The topic of sexual assault was on the table–and many of us were stunned. We sat and listened to the data not only as firefighters but also as mothers, aunts, sisters, nieces, daughters and women.
And we thought–this does not happen in our fire service.
We decided, as the information was presented, that just one sexual assault case in the workplace is enough reason to bring this important subject to the forefront of the fire service in 2014. Sexual violence often starts in the form of sexual harassment and can lead to rape.
iWomen partnered with the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the United States Fire Administration to create a PSA (Public Service Announcement) against sexual crimes. This is a very real and ongoing problem in both the career and volunteer fire service.
It is the goal of iWomen to provide resources for fire service members who have suffered from sexual violence and harassment and to provide training to educate the fire personnel with strategies to create safe reporting policies and to assist in identifying members who engage in harassing behaviors. It has to be more than a policy in a human resource manual.
A public service announcement, produced by iWomen (the International Association of Women in Fire and Emergency Services), has been released on the iWomen Web site www.i-women.org .
The message of the PSA is strong;
“We must take a stand – that this type of behavior will NOT be tolerated against our members, or anyone else“.
Unfortunately many victims, both women and men, do not report these acts. Research has found that many incidents go unreported and–it is the stigma of reporting or the fear of retaliation and/or not fitting in–that inhibit victims from coming forward. Whatever the reason, we need to ensure the well being of these victims–our brother and sister firefighters!
Sexual assault, violence and harassment is not just limited to colleges and the armed forces. Sexual violence and associated harassment occurs in our firehouses. This behavior needs to stop.
“These acts, and those like them, tear teams apart, rob the community of dedicated professionals, cause severe physical and mental injury and destroy lives.”
Shouldn’t each and every one of us be able to come to work without the fear of being attacked verbally and/or physically? We all know the answer is yes, but what are you doing to ensure a safe work place? What are the things that you look past? What are you doing–or not doing–to contribute to the problem?
Sexual harassment and assault are crimes of power.
“We all have a responsibility to cultivate fire departments to be law- abiding inclusive organizations in which every firefighter, is able to reach their full potential and is encouraged to do so. To be subjected to threatening words, harassing behaviors and sexual assault is unacceptable.”
Take a stand against these incidents and join iWomen in recognizing and preventing sexual violence in the workplace. We are a band of brothers and sisters, placing brotherhood and sisterhood first. Our shared respect defines who we are as a team and a public service. Let us be a team that Teaches, Enforces, Advocates and Models against the conduct and actions that lead to these crimes. It is time to find power and strength in doing “what is right”!
Angela Hughes is a lieutenant with the Baltimore County (MD) Fire Department assigned to Station 10 in Parkville. She is aslo the Eastern Division Trustee for the International Association of Women in Fire and Emergency Services.
