I read a story today about a young girl who had been gang raped in her workplace. She had advised her superiors about her concerns, expressing fear and concern for her safety.

After I read that story, I felt that I had to post in response to a recent post on a recruiting online community. The author of the post had several other posts out regarding Sexual Harassment, including one on ERE called what had you done “to” me recently.

I had been quiet for some time, but, today I just needed to speak out and this is what I had posted on bloggers

Today, I decided to publicly say something here about this very topic. Not only was this post and other ones created by this very author extremely shocking and indeed disturbing, but, increasingly it diminishes the absolute horror that women go through with regards with sexual harassment on the job.

Today, I read the story that was indeed extreme, of a young woman who at the Tender age of 20 went through a horrific experience of being brutally raped and had experienced tremendous harassment on the job. (ABC News) You can also read the case here.

Sure, we can say that this is different, this was extreme, what we were talking about is more minor..

REALLY - Is there such a thing as MINOR harassment? or Minor Rape, or Minor Abuse? Really???? ‘

When a Woman OR Man feels as though they are Not comfortable, or that their emotional safety has been threatened, especially in an environment where they should feel Safe (the work environment). The very same environment where your boss is by Law imposed to create an emotional and physical Safe workplace.

I am extremely agitated as I write this, especially as I realise that my comments will not gain the exposure and the validity that it deserves.

Sexual Harassment in the Work Place is NOT a laughing matter. No, it is not an issue that should just be downplayed with blackmail, or extortion.

It is not something that should be forgotten, or just gotten over, maybe with a chill pill or something. The offenders will eventually get more perverse and controlling in their behaviors, and there is always going to be MORE than ONE victim. So it is imperative to Stop the offender from the very beginning

Yes, I am angry, and when I read this poor girls story, all I could think of was this post, which also undermined why I even interviewed Penelope Trunk in the first Place. P.Trunk also didn’t get it.. Instead, there was promotion of don’t complain because it may have a negative impact???

That was what KBG expected of this poor girl, they expected that if they intimidated her enough that she would not complain, and thankfully this girl stood up for her RIGHTS! She stood up for her right to Work, her Right to be treated fairly and equally as a human being in the work place

In my eyes.. this Girl is a Hero and those who trivialize Sexual Harassment in the work place and downplay it as a joke I say, GET A CLUE

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ABOUT KAREN MATTONEN, CAC, CSP

Karen is an experienced, successful recruiter who operates her own business and is actively involved in many industry organizations and activities. Her recruiting career began with Snelling Corporation. In 1998, after a successful tenure as a recruiter with Snelling, Karen struck out on her own, founding Advanced Career Solutions (ACS). ACS focuses on recruiting for the HVAC Industry. Karen has achieved accreditation as a California Accredited Consultant (CAC) through California Staffing Professionals. She has also gained her Certified Staffing Professional Certificate (CSP) through American Staffing Professionals. (http://www.americanstaffing.net/)

She has a new and future-oriented vision of what recruiting can and should become: a profession we can be proud of for its ethical standing, professional conduct and ability to build great organizations. Her doing-well-by-doing-right philosophy is shaking up the status quo in an industry that needs to be shaken. She does this with conviction, leadership, and a distinctive voice that cries out for change.

Karen was a co-creator of the landmark webinar event – "EEOC Discrimination Debate." This event featured senior members of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and staffing industry experts discussing and debating difficult issues about discrimination in today’s workplace environment. Company executives, hiring managers, recruiters, and human resource professionals from across the United States were invited to participate in the free Webinar and live panel discussion. Karen also served as one of the panelists on the discussion team in the March, 2006 event.

As co-host of the popular podcast "The Recruiters Lounge ,"Karen discusses her frank opinions on the recruitment industry with her co-host, Jim Stroud.