#MeToo strikes chord in the Waikato

As the Hollywood #MeToo campaign heats up with dozens of female celebrities coming forward with tales of sexual harassment, the movement has become an international conversation. On the streets of Hamilton, both men and women seem to have embraced the need for changes in attitudes toward sexual harassment in the workplace.

Ciannait de Hoech

I have been pretty lucky and haven’t experienced any sexual harassment, but I know friends who have left their jobs because they felt so uncomfortable. Her higher-ups were aware of it, that they were constantly messaging and saying things, acting entitled to get close to her. I think it is a Kiwi thing too though, women brush it off and say whatever, no worries. That’s probably something we should look into, but I wouldn’t know where to start.

Kay Rolleston

I experienced sexual harassment 17 years ago when I was working in the tiling industry, which is almost all men. They didn’t take me seriously, and thought it was OK to speak about things in such sexual ways. I went to the manager and said what was happening – you have to do that. Being in those sorts of situations can cause people to commit suicide so it is a serious thing.

Patrick Whelan

It’s a matter of someone needing to stand up and say it’s not OK. We have ad campaigns about suicide so something like that would be helpful I think. We tend to brush this sort of thing under the carpet and don’t make a fuss, which I think is something we do in New Zealand too much. This is what we should be spending money on.

Melissa Walters

I’ve been a victim of different types of abuse and harassment, my daughters too.  Some women are able to stand  up to men for themselves, others aren’t and just pretend it isn’t happening in the world. I would like better for my daughters, but I don’t know how we can make that happen unless women work together. We need good men too, that’s important too.