Passage 2 What we are learning about harassment requires recognizing this beast when we
encounter it, and more. It requires looking the beast in the eye. We are learning painfully that
simply having laws against harassment on the books is not enough. The law, as it was
conceived, was to provide a shield of protection for us. Yet that shield is failing us: Many
fear reporting, others feel it would do no good. The result is that less than 5 percent of
women victims file claims of harassment. Moreover, the law focuses on quid pro quo, but a
recent New York Times article quoting psychologist Dr. Louise Fitzgerald says that this
makes up considerably less than 5 percent of the cases. The law needs to be more responsive
to the reality of our experiences. As we are learning, enforcing the law alone won’t
terminate the problem. What we are seeking is equality of treatment in the workplace.
Equality requires an expansion of our attitudes toward workers. Sexual harassment denies
our treatment as equals and replaces it with treatment of women as objects of ego or power
gratification. Dr. John Gottman, a psychologist at the University of Washington, notes that
sexual harassment is more about fear than about sex. Harassment exists in terribly harsh,
ugly, demeaning and even debilitating ways. Many believe it is criminal and should be
punished as such. It is a form of violence against women as well as a form of economic
coercion, and our experiences suggest that it won’t just go away.
【題組】40. What does the word “it” in Line 12 refer to______ .
(A) objects of ego
(B) sexual harassment
(C) treatment as equals
(D) power gratification
(E) fear