Scan barcode
A review by rbharath
More Than Words by Kirsten Anderson
4.0
This is the story of Kirsten Anderson who worked as a communications specialist for the State of Iowa, and legally fought the sexual harassment she faced at work.
Kirsten had a boss who frequently made lewd remarks, gestures & jokes – many of the examples she cites are definitely disturbing. She complained about it a few times and found that no action followed. As she points out, the powerful, especially those perceived to produce results are never acted against. This, of course, is a mirage as other than the purely unacceptable environment, the human costs are also extremely high. She came to be scrutinized and criticized for her work quality after her complaints. She found herself finding ways to cope by somehow adjusting to a toxic environment for 5 years. After another complaint, she was fired from her job almost immediately. She was lucky to find a considerate attorney to argue her case which she won and received an award.
There are takeaways and scenarios at the end of each chapter to prompt introspection on how abuse can be handled. The statistics she quotes are troubling – 81% of women and 41% of men have faced abuse at work, and moreover a vast majority do not report the abuse they face. Though the writing could have been better, this is a story of bravery and is inspiring.
My rating: 4.25 / 5.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author & publisher for an electronic review copy.
Kirsten had a boss who frequently made lewd remarks, gestures & jokes – many of the examples she cites are definitely disturbing. She complained about it a few times and found that no action followed. As she points out, the powerful, especially those perceived to produce results are never acted against. This, of course, is a mirage as other than the purely unacceptable environment, the human costs are also extremely high. She came to be scrutinized and criticized for her work quality after her complaints. She found herself finding ways to cope by somehow adjusting to a toxic environment for 5 years. After another complaint, she was fired from her job almost immediately. She was lucky to find a considerate attorney to argue her case which she won and received an award.
There are takeaways and scenarios at the end of each chapter to prompt introspection on how abuse can be handled. The statistics she quotes are troubling – 81% of women and 41% of men have faced abuse at work, and moreover a vast majority do not report the abuse they face. Though the writing could have been better, this is a story of bravery and is inspiring.
My rating: 4.25 / 5.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author & publisher for an electronic review copy.