"This Isn't Sexual Harassment?" Gender Sensitivity in the Public Sector, Is There a Problem?

Higher Sexual Harassment Response in Vertical Hierarchical Public Sector than Private Companies
Still Lack of Gender Sensitivity Education with 'Like a Daughter' and 'By Mistake' Excuses
Experts: "Independent Agency Needed to Manage and Supervise Hierarchical Sexual Violence"

Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Su-wan] "Is this considered sexual harassment?", "I did it as encouragement because she feels like a daughter?", "Well, I don't remember."

When looking at the consistent attitudes of perpetrators in cases of sexual harassment and assault within the public service, there is criticism that most perceive the sexual crimes they committed lightly. Despite victims' appeals, they consistently treat it as if it were no big deal, leading to criticism that the civil service lacks gender sensitivity. Experts point out fundamental problems such as the lack of crime prevention measures and inadequate post-incident responses in the vertically hierarchical public service.

Since the revelation that the late former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon sexually harassed his former secretary A for four years, reports of sexual harassment within the civil service have continued to emerge.

According to the sexual harassment victim cases of Seoul city officials stated in a statement released on the 16th by the Korea Women's Hotline and the Korea Sexual Violence Counseling Center, victims experienced sexual violence such as 'hugging the waist at karaoke during company dinners,' 'pretending to be drunk and kissing,' and 'touching legs while pretending to touch the floor.'

The sudden disclosure of such victim cases is pointed out to be related to the unique organizational culture of civil servants, where it is difficult to properly report victimization.

Even if victims come forward to expose sexual violence, someone inevitably finds out and covers it up, or it ultimately cannot be made public.

An administrative officer A, who requested anonymity, said, "Most superiors are about the age of a father, so even if there is victimization, there is nowhere to report it," adding, "Most of the time, we just confide in close colleagues and comfort each other."

He continued, "Most perpetrators deny the problem when pointed out, saying it was not sexual harassment. They claim it was just light contact among colleagues because they feel like daughters. Punishments are rare," and added, "The reporting system is not properly established. Victims who bravely report end up with a worse reputation. In the civil service, rumors are like poison," he appealed.

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As a result, the reality of sexual violence in the civil service is at a more severe level than in private companies.

According to a sexual harassment survey released by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family in 2018, 16.6% of respondents in public institutions reported experiencing sexual harassment over three years from 2015, which was more than 10% higher than the 6.5% in private companies.

As sexual crimes by public officials abusing their power became a recurring issue, related guidelines were established, but their actual effectiveness has been found lacking.

Last year, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family designated sexual harassment grievance counselors in public institutions and created counseling channels as preventive measures, but problems persist.

In a previous survey, the rate of sexual harassment experience was highest in local governments at 28.1%, followed by national agencies at 13.9%, elementary/middle/high school staff at 10.9%, and university employees at 20%.

The locations where sexual harassment occurred were also places where power dynamics are easily exerted. The main locations were company dinner venues (43.7%) and offices (36.8%).

In particular, although civil servants who commit sexual misconduct such as harassment can be dismissed at most, there is criticism that awareness of how serious sexual violence is remains low.

Administrative officer B said, "There is a tendency to hush things up internally. Victims often endure unfairness due to promotion and reputation issues. I have even seen people resign because of this," adding, "The so-called 'Kkondae culture' is deeply rooted and continues to cause problems. Because they cannot report, perpetrators are not punished."

He added, "The gender sensitivity education for such people is also problematic. Not only is the education poorly conducted, but the biggest issue is that they do not think sexual harassment and assault are serious problems."

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This is why the National Public Officials Act, which states that anyone can report sexual violence or harassment within the public service and that heads of affiliated institutions must promptly take necessary measures, is criticized as being ineffective.

According to the revised Framework Act on Gender Equality, all public officials belonging to the state and local governments must receive gender sensitivity education. Also, there is a provision requiring submission of recurrence prevention measures to the Minister of Gender Equality and Family within three months of a sexual harassment incident, but in practice, this has not been observed.

In 2018, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family conducted an online survey as part of a 'Special Inspection on Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence Prevention in the Public Sector,' and among 232,000 public institution workers, 6.8% responded that they had been directly victimized by sexual harassment or violence in the past three years. Of these victims, 67.3% said they did not raise their voices and "just let it go."

Meanwhile, even when sexual violence is reported, inadequate responses have led some victims to extreme choices. On the 11th, a female civil servant in her 40s at Imsil County Office took her own life, saying she was distressed about working with a superior who had sexually assaulted her in the past.

The official accused of sexual violence explained, "There was never a time when I had a drink or attended such gatherings during company dinners. Therefore, I am not involved."

The bereaved family urged a swift investigation, saying, "She proved the victimization by taking her own life. If that is not true, then what is?"

The victim had previously reported the sexual violence to the relevant department. Nevertheless, she was assigned to the same department as the accused, raising criticism that the response to sexual violence was handled carelessly.

The police are reportedly planning to conduct a formal investigation if detailed victimization facts are revealed through digital forensics of mobile phones.

Regarding these issues, the Korean Women's Development Institute recently stated in a report, "Concealment of sexual harassment is closely related to organizational culture," analyzing that "public service is difficult to enter, has long tenure, and limited mobility, so networks and reputation affect work and promotion."

Experts suggest practical measures to prevent recurrence. Attorney Lee Eun-ui, who represents women victims of sexual violence, said, "In cases of hierarchical sexual violence within the public service, the process and procedures are more important," and pointed out, "After an incident occurs, measures should be taken not just for show but to prevent recurrence."

As fundamental solutions, she proposed △budget allocation to related agencies and △formation of task forces. Attorney Lee advised, "Ultimately, continuous attention is needed for preventive education and follow-up measures within the public service," adding, "Specifically, there must be an institution that can audit and handle cases when the head of the organization (top of the organization) is the perpetrator."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.