Cultures of Silence

In The Ontology of Language, Rafael Echeverría (2002) explains that language not only allows us to talk “about” things, but that language makes things happen.

This perspective abandons the notion that language has a passive or merely descriptive role in our reality. Reality does not always precede language, rather, language also precedes reality, or in other words, language "is a generator of reality."

#MeToo

In 2017, The New York Times brought to light, through an article, the cases of sexual assaults committed by Harvey Weinstein over the course of decades. At that moment, the actress Alyssa Milano made a post on Twitter using the hashtag #metoo that Tirana Burke (a civil right activist) had already used a few years ago. 

She broke the silence, and when she did, the hashtag went viral on social media. Alyssa Milano raised her voice and generated a new reality. Thousands of women recounted firsthand the cases of sexual abuse they had suffered.

#MeToo was born in 1996; it isn’t new. What was new was the discussion it sparked in 2017. The question is also about, why, just a few years ago, women decided to break the barrier of silence?

MeToo triggered 1.7 million tweets, with various hashtags, in 85 different countries. It then became in a global movement including #yotambien #QuellaVoltaChe #WoSheYi #AnaKaman #AncheAMe #BalanceTonPorc #GamAni and #MoiAussi.

Sobering statistics

Estimates published by the WHO indicate that approximately one in three women worldwide has been subjected to physical violence and/or sexual harassment by an intimate partner or third party in her lifetime, yet less than 40 percent of women who experience violence seek help of some kind.

Some authors state that awareness and visibility of these issues could explain the apparent increases in reported violence and harassment they see in data over time.

For example, a study by Levy and Mattsson (2020) on the #MeToo movement showed a 10% increase in the reporting of sexual offenses in the first six months after the movement peaked in 2017.

Silence culture in organizations

When I was writing this article, in a break, I was scrolling on social media and by chance I was hit by quote “All systems keep silent, making silence a protective habit. We are not always aware of silences and their consequences”; which was written by Alicia Pizarro Dominguez.

For Paulo Freire, the culture of silence is produced by the impossibility of men and women to say their words, to manifest themselves as subjects of praxis and political citizens without being able to interfere in the reality that “surrounds” them.

This reality is produced by the ruling classes, and it generates subjects who are silenced, prevented from expressing their thoughts, and affirming their truths.

As Human Resources professional, I think we must start discussing how to intervene in organizations that are affected by a culture of silence.

When talking with organizations that show interest in implementing initiatives in DEIB, on many occasions, reflections of the following type appear: "We haven’t had any major DEIB issues to worry about," or "We haven’t had situations related to harassment or violence,” or “In this company, we haven’t had a problem with discrimination,” etc.

When organizational leaders finally decide to corroborate that their previous assumptions are valid, and they are encouraged to go a little further through a focus group, or a survey, or simply an interview where they have a chance to speak with someone outside their organizational system, that’s when the silence is often uncovered for the first time. DEIB issues, harassment, violence, or discrimination appear, which had always been there, but silenced.

Faced with this, I consider it worth asking ourselves:

-When do we shut up?

-Whom does silence serve?

-What caused this silence?

As Ryan and Oestreich (1991) put it, “isn't it time we question ourselves about the high price organizations pay when people feel it's too risky to speak up (in reduced productivity, low morale, and creative paralysis)?” especially when this silence is the direct consequence of a situation of harassment, discrimination, or violent conduct.

It is important to understand that harassment (or violent behavior) can affect everyone: those who harass, those who are harassed, and those who witness the harassment. Harassment and violent behavior generally result in different negative consequences, such as the impact on mental health, substance use and, in some cases, suicide.

For those interested in delving into the subject and who like good TV series, I recommend watching the series "The Morning Show", which deals with what happens (and happened) when an anonymous complaint against the TV host of the the No. 1 morning show appears in the New York Times, where everyone knew, and everyone kept quiet.

Physics 101: a stimulus produces a result.

Every organizational reality produces its own form of silence and its corresponding forms of response.

Le Breton takes us a little further, telling us that silence by itself lacks meaning. And in his analysis, we must consider the meaning of that silence in relation to others.

And then the recurring question arises: What do I do when the person I have to report is the CEO? What do I do if that person who makes intimidating comments has a position of power? What can I do if that person is my own boss/boss?

 Who's going to believe me? What if I lose my job?

How many times have we witnessed a situation of discrimination and yet we did not say anything? How many times have we heard a sexist comment and not said anything? How many times have we witnessed an act of harassment, or have been a victim, and we have not said anything?

Among the talent management challenges that organizations face today, I think it is very good to talk about organizational purpose, employer brand, hybrid work or the place that ChatGPT will occupy in the world of work.

However, it is also a priority to begin to become aware of what we are going to do to break with the culture of silence.

Paraphrasing Ovid, "The drop of water that persistently falls on the stone ends up affecting its shape." It is the consistency of small actions that generates change.

 I invite you to join in being one more drop of water from the place you occupy.

 "Nothing changes, I change, everything changes."

Written by Romina Balayn

Founder Join Up | Manager Twiins HRM – Cone South | PNW

Entrepreneur. Consultant. Coach. Professor.

Bibliography:

 - Echeverría García-Huidobro, Rafael. Ontología del lenguaje. Santiago, Chile: JC Sáez Editor, 2002.

- L. Camile Hébert, Is “MeToo” Only a Social Movement or a Legal Movement Too?, 22. Emp. Rts. &. Emp. Pol'y. 321 (2018).

-Le Breton, D. El silencio, Paris, Francia: Ediciones Sequitur,1997.

- Freire, Paulo. Pedagogía del Oprimido (36ª. Ed.). México: SIGLO XXI. (1987).