Eliminating workplace harassment, including sexual harassment, benefits everyone across veterinary medicine – from individual team members to practices, students to seasoned professionals. New tools from the AVMA and AVMA Trust can help the veterinary community better understand and prevent harassment in all forms.
Sexual harassment remains a persistent and often unreported problem across many professions, including within veterinary medicine. When someone engages in sexual misconduct, they extract a steep cost from those they harass. The wellbeing of our veterinary colleagues depends on us working to address this issue. Beyond that, harassment also leads to decreased productivity, increased turnover, and reputational harm for the workplace itself.
We can’t expect harassment to stop on its own—but we can all work to combat it. A new AVMA Axon training webinar and AVMA resource page are tools that any veterinary professional can lean on to play a part.
Developed jointly by the AVMA and AVMA Trust, the webinar helps veterinary professionals understand the importance of such training, implications of sexual harassment in the workplace, and employer responsibilities.
More sexual harassment prevention resources
In addition to the new webinar, you can turn to a new AVMA webpage to find sexual harassment prevention resources. These include training programs, workplace tips for a safe and inclusive environment, and information about the scope of harassment in the veterinary profession.
Every member of the veterinary profession can play a role in putting an end to unacceptable workplace behavior. These new AVMA resources and information can help us all play an active role in ending workplace harassment.
Get started right away:
- AVMA PLIT training module on workplace harassment
- AVMA guidance for preventing harassment and discrimination in the workplace
- Brave Space– a certificate program incorporating a module on preventing workplace harassment
For more resources and information, visit the AVMA webpage on preventing sexual harassment in the workplace.