Credit Management November 2023

OPINION
It is clear that while there appears to be a
willingness to have equity between the sexes, less
discrimination and a more tolerant society, there
is evidently no such thing in practice.
– Amanda Hamilton
When a female gay friend heard the raised voices outside her
home of her immediate female neighbour speaking to a man, and
asked whether everything was alright. The man, another neighbour,
with whom she had never spoken previously, aggressively turned
to her and told her to mind her own business and told her that
her boundary wall between her property and that of her opposite
neighbour was coming down. This friend, who is a very strong
independent woman, and well-integrated socially, was unusually
upset by this unprovoked aggressive comment and was convinced
it was fuelled by homophobia. There was nothing in the comments
made to indicate this, but she just instinctively knew. She called the
police and explained the incident to the two officers that arrived and
they offered to visit the neighbour.
As it transpired, some months’ later, the friend requested the police
report and was shocked to find that the police officers completely
rejected her allegation and believed the neighbour when he said that
it was just a spat and there was nothing in it. The police even stated in
the report that there was definitely no ‘homophobia’ involved as the
neighbour had denied it.
This, unfortunately, is the nature of the beast. If a female worker
complains about sexual harassment at work, it becomes the word of
the victim against the perpetrator.
When working in the property business many years ago, a boss was
in the habit of commenting on women’s attributes as they walked past
the shopfront. Having informed him that I found these misogynistic
comments insulting and inappropriate, he just told me to lighten up
and that if I wanted to ‘move up’ the ladder, I would have to change
my attitude. It was just a bit of ‘fun’.
I have had similar stories told to me in respect of discrimination
due to ethnic origin. A friend of colour went for a job interview. She
was well educated, well qualified and had massive experience in the
particular field with excellent references. She did not get the job. This
is not necessarily uncommon, but she told me that in the interview,
which she thought went very well on the whole, there was a feeling
from one of the three interviewing her that she definitely thought was
not right and her instinct told her it was discrimination. She is not the
sort of person that plays that card. She shrugged it off because that
was all she could do. She could not go back and complain because
what would be the basis of the claim? A feeling? An instinct?
In conclusion, laws may be there to protect individuals legally in
theory, but in practice they don’t prevent inequality or injustices or
discrimination from actually happening in society. It’s just far more
difficult to prove.
So, how do we affect a change? Well, that is the question!
Perhaps the best way is to make a complaint to the police under the
umbrella of ‘Anti-Social Behaviour’ and insist that you see the police
report. If, as happened to my friend, the report is inaccurate, you
should then make a point of complaining further.
Alternatively, you could request a legal professional, such as a
Licensed Paralegal, to write a letter to the perpetrator. Neither action
may produce a satisfactory result, but the more these incidents are
addressed, the more it may affect a change in attitude, although it
may take a very long time.
Amanda Hamilton is Patron of the National
Association of Licensed Paralegals.
Brave | Curious | Resilient / www.cicm.com / November / PAGE 28