Thanks @grollman for calling out the hypocrisy of sociologists who turn a blind eye to sexual misconduct in our institutions. UW-Madison can learn a lot from #MeTooPhD. Unfortunately that change is coming slower than I would like. egrollman.com/2018/08/03/met…
I spent more hours than I would like explaining to male faculty members why the “whisper network” exists, and how it’s more than just “rumors.” Many sociologists, including some of our faculty, study informal institutions that emerge when trust in formal institutions breaks down.
When you have a department that has victim-blamed, protected abusers, and turned a blind eye to the pain and trauma of members for DECADES, who thinks that the benefits of reporting outweigh the costs? But staying silent isn’t an option either if it means others could be hurt.
So we tell our friends - “hey, be careful with that professor,” “hey, watch out for that TA.” During orientation before my first year of grad school, Delamater spoke to my cohort. Immediately after that session, a more senior grad student told me to be careful around him.
Some worry that these “whisper networks” will result in false accusations. Many have asked me, “well what if someone says something about me?”
The “whispers” aren’t uttered lightly. Don’t do anything that would cause someone to worry for the safety of themselves or others.