TIME quotes Blackstone in report on sexual harassment, equal pay
TIME magazine quoted Amy Blackstone, a sociology professor at the University of Maine, in the article, “Inside sexual harassment’s hidden toll on equal pay.” Each year, thousands of employees around the country experience sexual harassment or assault in the workplace and several studies have found sexual harassment is a contributing factor to the gender wage gap, according to the article. Women who have experienced sexual harassment are 6.5 times more likely to leave their jobs than those who aren’t, according to 2017 research published by Sociologists for Women in Society. These women often take jobs with lower wages, move to a different industry entirely or reduce the amount of hours they work, says Blackstone, who co-wrote the research. By moving jobs, these employees lose their seniority and standing within the company — affecting the timeline of moving up the ladder in pay and promotions, she added. “Rather than the onus being on the target of harassment to leave, let’s make workplaces where everybody can thrive,” Blackstone said.