The reluctance of someone to come forward demonstrates that even in the #MeToo era, it remains incredibly difficult to report harassment, abuse or assault by people in power, judiciary Committee should put in place a process that enables anyone with a complaint of this nature to be heard. I have seen firsthand what happens when such a process is weaponized against an accuser, and no one should have to endure that again.

Anita Hill

Categorized in : Top News

I did what my conscience told me to do, and you can't fail if you... by Anita Hill

I did what my conscience told me to do, and you can't fail if you do that.

failure failing inspiring

I am really proud to be a part in whatever way of women becoming active in the political scene. I think it was the first time that people came to terms with the reality of what it meant to have a Senate made up of 98 men and two women.

men reality thinking

Most women who are harassed don't come forward, they don't complain because they're skeptical of the process, or they don't think anything is going to come of it if they are found to have been harassed. We know from some very public cases that sexual assault isn't always punished even by the courts in the way that they should be. So, we have got to figure out, how are we going to embed women's experiences in the processes, so that they trust the processes, that there are fair investigations that get to the truth, and then there is appropriate punishment when abuse occurs?

abuse complaining thinking

You can't always expect a certain result, but you can expect to d... by Anita Hill

You can't always expect a certain result, but you can expect to do your best.

results certain

We've got to understand that all disenfranchised people have something in common...The pursuit of justice really is about equality for everyone.

common justice people

calls for equal treatment are often seen as calls for 'special treatment' in situations where discrimination has become the norm.

equal-treatment discrimination special

But I think it would be irresponsible for me not to say what I really believe in my heart to be true - that there are some serious inequities that we face as women and that we can work to address these inequities

heart believe thinking

Testifying has helped me understand that one individual's behavior and actions make a difference. That my actions are important to people other than myself

differences important people

Many women are harassed, one in three between the ages of 18 and 34, by one poll. And we need to figure out if, in fact, we are going to enable them to come forward with their complaints, as opposed to enabling harassers and abusers to continue their behavior.

behavior age

we need to turn the question around to look at the harasser, not the target. We need to be sure that we can go out and look anyone who is a victim of harassment in the eye and say, 'You do not have to remain silent anymore.

target eye needs

We have a history of gender and racial bias on our court that continues to undermine the system. Excluding individuals based on race is antagonistic to the pursuit of justice.

prejudice race justice

I think, though, as African-American women, we are always trained to value our community even at the expense of ourselves, and so we attempt to protect the African-American community.

african-american community thinking

I think there's more support today. I think there's better understanding today. And there's a better appreciation for the fact that if any community is going to prosper, if any community is going to be seen at its best, that the women in that community have to be viewed as equally as important as the men. And [women] have to be able to live outside of boundaries that are placed on them because of their gender. As well as their race or their religion.

communication appreciation men

If I can mean to people - if I can symbolize the ability to pursue gender equality, racial equality, and to be truthful about our experiences, then, absolutely, that's what I want to be.

want mean people

I am hopeful that others who have suffered sexual harassment will not become discouraged by my experience, but instead will find the strength to speak out about this serious problem.

hopeful speaks-out serious

What we really need to be understanding is that all of these things matter and they all stem from the fact that certain people live with power and authority and they want to maintain it

understanding people needs

I work every day to live up to my mother's model. She was a very proud woman. And she really prepared me to go off into the world as a proud daughter.

daughter mother world

I'm not sure I can say there is a clean line between me as an ind... by Anita Hill

I'm not sure I can say there is a clean line between me as an individual and me as a lawyer.

cleaning lawyer lines

One of the things I was taught in law school is that I'd never be able to think the same again - that being a lawyer is something that's part of who I am as an individual now.

who-i-am school thinking

I thought that by saying no and explaining my reasons my employer would abandon his social suggestions. However, to my regret, in the following few weeks, he continued to ask me out on several occasions

saying-no suggestions regret