Transforming Bias & Harassment Reporting to a Collaborative Process

As we review responses from our Gender Discrimination Survey, we have observed that many women faculty experience gender- and race-based biases within their units. 70% of individuals who responded to our survey indicated that they have experienced gender discrimination on campus. Their descriptions of such experiences often include workplace biases and being left alone to deal with them. However, when gender discrimination is deeply pervasive in the academic unit culture, bias reporting can be effectively used for bringing cultural change. Bias reporting can help the institution to identify patterns of discrimination and implement targeted interventions to promote a culture of inclusivity, transparency, and accountability.1 

With the positive impact of reporting bias on organizational change acknowledged, allies can transform the process and practice of bias reporting by making it a collaborative practice: taking bias reporting as a shared responsibility and supporting the victim in navigating the reporting system. Thus, in this edition of Ally Tips, we focus on actionable steps allies can take to support and stand up for colleagues facing harassment and bias and share the work of bias reporting. The tips also include guidance on reporting discrimination and harassment at IUB. If your department follows different procedures, please let us know so we can update the tips accordingly. 

Shared Responsibilities for Bias Incident Reporting

Many women, women of color, non-binary individuals, and individuals with diverse intersecting identities experience bias at their workplace frequently, yet they are unlikely to report it.2 In terms of sexual harassment, nearly 50 % of women in the U.S. have experienced it in their workplace; yet, 71% of those women indicated that they do not report it.3  Some of the reasons why the victims do not make reports include fear of retaliation, not knowing how to navigate the reporting system, and the stress and humiliation they may experience during the process.4 In fact, it is uncomfortably true that women who do report harassment and discrimination often experience mental and physical health issues and/or lose their more than women who keep silent do.5  Chloe Grace Hart found that women who report experiencing sexual harassment are more likely to be viewed negatively in terms of their morality, warmth, and social skills. This negative perception can result in biases against them when it comes to being considered for promotion.6  Such a negative perception leaves the victim in “a double bind: If they report sexual harassment, they risk being perceived as less worthy of promotion, but if they do not report sexual harassment, they must manage it alone.”7  In short, in either case, reporting or not reporting, the result is not much different: Try to put yourself in the place of a person faced with a decision where you knew that no matter the choice, the outcome would be unfavorable. 

However, allies can make changes by reaching out to the colleague who experienced bias or harassment and by offering to write an incident report for/with the colleague. In fact, Hart found that the victim is not likely to experience those negative perceptions that one would experience if self-reporting the harassment when a bystander (e.g., a co-worker) makes the report for the victim of sexual harassment.8  This positive effect is not limited to situations of sexual harassment. Unfortunately, microaggressions and biases that negatively stereotype people based on race, gender, disability, citizenship status, health conditions, age, and/or physical features occur daily at work. In other words, allies can contribute to improving equity at work by knowing how to support colleagues who experience bias. Without this support, colleagues are often left to deal with the situation alone, leading to unnecessary stress.  

Action Tips for Allies:

If you witness or learn that a colleague experienced microaggressions, bias, and/or harassment at work, these are some actions to take as allies. In many situations, intervening on the spot is optimal. However, it can also be a complicated decision to make in the moment. If you are not able to address it on the spot, there are still other actions you can as an ally.  

  1. First, honestly reflect on the thoughts and feelings that kept you from acting. Then, think about what you would do differently if you witness a similar situation again. Consider ways to build your capacity and confidence so you can effectively intervene in the moment next time.   
  2. Do not assume that the victim will cope well on their own. Check-in with your colleague.  This action alone can help the victim feel validated, rather than leaving them questioning their feelings. Victims often struggle while thinking, “Is it me who is being too sensitive?” So, initiate a conversation by saying, “That was not right. I just want to check in and see how you are feeling and talk about how I can support you in addressing this.”  
  3. Making a bias incident report should be a shared step. Do not leave it up to the victim to engage in reporting processes alone. Victims are often left alone to navigate these systems. So, you can offer to make a report for or with the colleague who has experienced a bias and/or harassment.  
  4. Offer to help figure out what reporting system exists in your unit or institution and reporting procedures. An important point here is being on the same page as the victim to avoid creating new, unwanted situations for the victim.  
  5. If the victim is a student, you can also put in a  care referral for the student to receive various types of support, including mental/physical health support, academic support, and incident reporting support.  
  6. You can educate yourself on how to make a report on sexual harassment in advance by taking the Responsible Employee Training. Most employees at IU are considered “Responsible Employees” who are required to share and report sexual misconduct.  
  7. Information on bias reporting is often difficult to find on a unit’s or department’s website, departments can redesign their website by making it more intuitive to find such a resource.

How to report discrimination and harassment at IUB

There are different ways to report an incident: a campus-wide central reporting system or a unit and/or department-based one.   

  • Campus level reporting:  

Online reporting forms are also available for bias incidents and sexual harassment. You can choose to include your contact information in the forms. You can report the incident to the Office of Institute Equity at oie@iu.edu  or call 812-855-7559 if you would like to get some information first.  

  • Unit and/or Department-level reporting examples: 

Various units and/or departments have local ways of supporting the victims who have experienced harassment and microaggression. They may use a department-based reporting system to support the victim in navigating the institutional reporting and grievance procedures. These local systems intend to make incident reporting more accessible, visible, and less stressful. Here are some examples of local reporting systems. (Our list is limited at this moment, so please let us know if your unit has your own reporting system).  

Participate in the Survey on Gender Discrimination at IUB! 

Please help us improve your experience by participating in a brief survey on gender discrimination on campus. 

See our Archived Ally Tips

Learn more about Advocates and Allies for Equity

Weekly Ally Resources

  • Video: Just Listen: Providing Emotional Support to Sexual Violence Survivors – This video explores what we can do every day to emotionally support survivors 

  • Article: Use Science to Stop Sexual Harassment in Higher Education – This article suggests that the most effective solution to sexual harassment in higher education should be neither individual victim reporting nor the retraining of wrongdoers. It calls for changes in the higher education institutional structure and in the mentality of the privileged that have neglected sexual harassment.  

  • Film: Picture a Scientist  highlights gender inequality in STEM through the experiences of three prominent women scientists in the U.S. The film also describes how their male colleagues have become allies.  

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