Women, Male Dominated Environments and Sex Scandals: It is Complicated

For the last 30 years I have consulted with a variety of Fortune 500 companies , government agencies on the issue of retention and recruitment of women. One of the consistent issues and concerns that come up is the sexual activity  of a workplace culture-sexually charged environments. Most recently it was in the headlines again with the Secret Service agents caught in a prostitution scandal.  Several issues came to the forefront that are worth a second look. First, only 1 in 10 Secret Service agents are women. Eric Tucker of the Associated Press (Scandal Shows Service's Lack of Women) suggested that maybe if the agency had more women it might help as a preventative measure for "future dishonor." Women might bring a balance. But the travel demands of field agents for women balancing home and work becomes a problem. The argument goes if we had more diversity, it might bring more accountability. 

Another issue becomes the hypersexualized activities men engage in (i.e. strip clubs have been a pervasive activity in my consulting experience) and condone. They make women feel uncomfortable.  Cavorting with prostitutes on the job isn't all that different than holding a business meeting in a topless joint, right?
I have clients simply tell me it is a part of their workplace culture and difficult to control after hour activities which are often seen as a "recreational" extension of doing business.
They express frustration of trying to police employees.

Interesting that the Secret Service is considering employing chaperones to accompany agents on some trips. Maybe they should be women?

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