The #MeToo movement is very much alive in the meetings and incentives industry.
A majority of women meeting planners—56.4 percent—reported having been sexually harassed at some point in their careers, according to a soon-to-be-released joint survey of 708 women by Prevue Meetings & Incentives and the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence.
The percentage of suppliers reporting that they had been sexually harassed was slightly less, at 45.1 percent. The final survey results will be released at IMEX during an educational session on Wednesday, October 17, from 1 to 1:30 p.m. in the Research Pod, Inspiration Hub, Show Floor. Survey authors Prevue Editor Barbara Scofidio and Rhonda Brewer, former president of SITE and chair of SITE’s new Women in Leadership Initiative, will share the results and will then be available at the Prevue booth from 3 to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday to answer any questions. #MeToo
The survey found that, among meeting planners, there’s correlation between the level of industry experience and those women who reported they had been sexually harassed in their careers or had experienced unwanted advances from customers or colleagues. Almost 60 percent of those who had been harassed had 16+ years of industry experience and 61.9 percent of those who reported having experienced unwanted advances had 16+ years of experience.
Almost a third (30.1 percent) of meeting planners reported having dealt with a situation where one of their attendees reported being sexually harassed by a superior or another attendee.
The age of the respondents saying they had been sexually harassed was spread among the generations, with GenXers accounting for the largest group (37.8 percent).
A white paper with the full survey results will also be available at the Prevue and SITE booths at IMEX.
