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niyad

(112,435 posts)
Tue Jan 12, 2016, 01:07 PM Jan 2016

APNewsBreak: Report charts history of abuse at Grand Canyon

(geez, it only took the IG"s office a 16 months to release the report)


APNewsBreak: Report charts history of abuse at Grand Canyon

By Associated Press | January 12, 2016 @ 8:45 am


FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — A new report by a federal watchdog outlines a history of harassment on river trips through Grand Canyon National Park in which male park employees allegedly propositioned female colleagues for sex, touched them inappropriately and made lewd comments. The report obtained by The Associated Press comes after 13 current and former Grand Canyon employees filed a complaint in September 2014 saying women had been abused over 15 years. It was released Tuesday by the Department of the Interior’s Office of Inspector General.

About a dozen people have faced disciplinary action for sexual misconduct since 2003, ranging from a written reprimand to termination. But investigators say those actions are inconsistent, and many alleged incidents go unreported or aren’t properly vetted by supervisors.

One longtime human resources official interviewed by investigators said a “laissez faire” attitude exists of “what happens on the river, stays on the river.” Grand Canyon officials until recently allowed river rafters to bring alcohol on the trips.

A National Parks Service spokesman said the agency has zero tolerance for the behavior cited in the report.

“No NPS employee should ever experience the kind of behavior outlined in the report, and it is even more disappointing because previous efforts to change the culture at the River District of the grand Canyon failed to improve working conditions,” NPS spokesman James Doyle said in an email. He said the agency is mulling more changes, including requiring nightly check-in calls, having a supervisor on every river trip and establishing an ombudsman.


. . . .

http://ktar.com/story/847913/apnewsbreak-report-charts-history-of-abuse-at-grand-canyon

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Sunlei

(22,651 posts)
1. was really bad pre-2008 before the employee grievance policy was added for state/federal employees
Tue Jan 12, 2016, 01:16 PM
Jan 2016

There used to be no one to 'go to for help' no records kept of any worker complaints, was the supervisors, the 'Leadership' who let the behavior get so out of control.

Sunlei

(22,651 posts)
5. Not much will change with the same, pre2008 Federal supervisers in charge of the workers.
Tue Jan 12, 2016, 02:13 PM
Jan 2016
good old boys hate to change.

malthaussen

(17,066 posts)
3. Boys will be boys.
Tue Jan 12, 2016, 01:46 PM
Jan 2016

I think one would find (and have already found, in many instances) that all professions that were long-time "boy's clubs" have the same problems. Indeed, it wasn't all that long ago that when women achieved a measurable presence in business positions they encountered similar abuses. It does seem that males react in predictable and negative ways whenever females move into their cozy little spheres. It is quite natural that government authorities, who are still largely male-dominated, would keep mum about this sort of thing for as long as possible. Institutional thinking also plays a role here: one doesn't want to be disloyal, or make waves, if one hopes to keep his cush gig.

-- Mal

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