The near-daily tide of sexual misconduct allegations
Scott Wallace, PhD (Clinical Psychology)
Behavioral Health Scientist and Technologist specializing in AI and mental health | Cybertherapy pioneer | Entrepreneur | Keynote Speaker | Professional Training | Clinical Content Development
The recent tide of apologies by famous men has been ‘awful.’ The apologies have often seemed obligatory, as the men offer excuses for their behavior or cast doubt on their accusers, experts said.
Listed below, just a few of the week's news posts that have come across my desk. And what a week it has been.
From the Washington Post: Here’s what the men should have said.
TV talk show personality Charlie Rose is the latest to be accused of groping and unwanted sexual advances. His then 21-year-old former assistant said he used to walk around naked and call her to talk about his sexual fantasies. In a statement, Rose said he didn’t think all the allegations leveled against him by eight women were accurate but felt he “was pursuing shared feelings” and now has “a profound new respect for women and their lives.”
“Rose’s apology, like most of the others, focused primarily on him rather than on his victims,” said Guy Winch, a New York-based psychologist, author and public speaker who specializes in relationships. He added that Rose’s mea culpa includes an “actual apology,” which many others did not.
“They’ve been awful,” psychologist Harriet Lerner said of the public apologies.
Trauma May Have Fallout Over Generations
The daughters of women exposed to childhood trauma are at increased risk for serious psychiatric disorders, a new study concludes.
Researchers studied 46,877 Finnish children who were evacuated to Sweden during World War II, between 1940 and 1944. They tracked the health of their 93,391 male and female offspring born from 1950 to 2010.
The study, in JAMA Psychiatry, found that female children of mothers who had been evacuated to Sweden were twice as likely to be hospitalized for a psychiatric illness as their female cousins who had not been evacuated, and more than four times as likely to have depression or bipolar disorder.
Therapy for Sexual Misconduct? It’s Mostly Unproven
“My journey now will be to learn about myself and conquer my demons,” the producer Harvey Weinstein said in a statement in October. The actor Kevin Spacey announced that he would be “taking the time necessary to seek evaluation and treatment.”
Whatever mix of damage control and contrition they represent, pledges like these suggest that there are standard treatments for perpetrators of sexual offenses. In fact, no such standard treatments exist, experts say. Even the notion of “sexual addiction” as a stand-alone diagnosis is in dispute.
“There are no evidence-based programs I know of for the sort of men who have been in the news recently,” said Vaile Wright, director of research and special projects at the American Psychological Association.
That doesn’t mean that these men cannot change their ways with professional help.
Why do men expose themselves?
Why do men expose themselves? In these cases, it's often about power, said Steven Graubard, a Massachusetts-based consulting and clinical psychologist of more than 40 years. To be clear, these recent allegations aren't that of a typical flasher, Graubard said. Men in high-profile positions who are exposing themselves to those they work with are acting on impulses (desires), not compulsions (urges against one's wishes).
Those impulses are narcissistic (ego-related) and/or feeding off a sense of omnipotence, Graubard said. They are "acting out a fantasy that's based on needs for attention" and "control," he said.
"When [they] are in a position of power and influence over other people, then in their mind the fantasy starts to take form and it could happen," Graubard said. "The inhibitions that we usually have around this behavior start to get broken down."
How do you reconcile your feelings for someone with accusations of sexual misconduct?
“How do you reconcile your love for someone with the revelation that they have behaved badly?” asked Lauer’s “Today” co-host, Savannah Guthrie. “I don't know the answer to that. But I do know that this reckoning that so many organizations have been going through is important, it's long overdue and it must result in workplaces where all women, all people, feel safe and respected.”
Sexual harassment at work can increase risk of eating disorders, drug use for women
Workplace sexual harassment can be detrimental. In fact, those who experience it are more likely to suffer from depression, eating disorders and drug use, according to a new report.
Researchers from the American Psychological Association recently conducted a study, published in Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, to further explore how enduring sexual harassment can cause psychological harm.
To do so, they surveyed 2,000 Britons. They found that women are more likely than men to report the effects of sexual assault, which could include anxiety, depression, eating disorders, drug and alcohol abuse, post-traumatic stress and a lower level of overall happiness.
Although men may be at a higher risk for mental health issues after experiencing sexual harassment, women are also more likely to report incidents of it.
Furthermore, researchers found men in the military are 10 times more like to endure sexual harassment, compared to civilian men. However, 81 percent of military men who are harassed keep quiet.
Sexual misconduct fallout: Can we love the art but hate the artist?
Matt Lauer and Garrison Keillor are the latest celebrities dismissed due to accusations of inappropriate behavior
Matt Lauer has followed Charlie Rose into the realm of broadcasting shame amid accusations of sexual misconduct, and those who admired the morning TV anchors are left to deal with the fallout.
Savannah Guthrie, Mr. Lauer’s co-anchor on NBC’s “Today,” opened the show Wednesday with the announcement that her “dear, dear friend” had been fired for inappropriate sexual conduct and said she was heartbroken for him and “for the brave colleague who came forward to tell her story.”
Calling Mr. Lauer’s dismissal part of a national reckoning, she said, “How do you reconcile your love for someone with the revelation that they have behaved badly?”
Jeremy Piven reportedly passes lie detector test after sexual assault allegations
Jeremy Piven has taken the first step in his plan to discredit the three women who accused him of sexual assault.
The “Entourage” alum took a lie detector test in an attempt to prove that he didn’t grope Arianne Bellamar, Tiffany Bacon and Amy Meador, according to documents acquired by The Blast.
Among the questions on the polygraph, administered by the American Polygraph Association, were if he had sent “explicit and/or abusive text messages,” “‘grabbed’ or fondled a woman’s genitals, breasts or buttocks without their consent” or “used force to restrain a woman against their will.”
More timely posts like these? Join the Employee Assistance Society of North America (EASNA) LinkedIn Group
EASNA is the employee assistance industry's trade association with a mission to advance the competitive excellence of its members by fostering best practices, research, education, and advocacy in behavioral health and wellness that impacts workplace performance. We host a yearly conference, now in its 30th year, the Annual Institute (May 9-11, 2018 Vancouver, BC). This year's theme: EAP: Your Partner in Times of Disruption
Founded in 1985, EASNA members come from Canada, Mexico, the United States, and other countries, and include: EAP providers, benefits consultants, employers, wellness providers, EAP vendors, and HR professionals.
Follow the link to join. https://www.dhirubhai.net/groups/3688902
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