35.2. Sexual Harassment in Fundraising (PART 2): Sector-Wide Change & What Organizations Can Do To Protect Their People with Dr. Ann Olivarius

Today’s episode (or 2-part series) is quite heavy - we are going to be talking about sexual harassment in fundraising. There is explicit content and potentially triggering storytelling so I want to make sure you listen to today’s show in the right place - mentally, physically, and emotionally.  

For this series, I have the incredible honor of interviewing Dr. Ann Olivarius who is recognized around the world for her pioneering work in representing victims of sexual violence, sexual harassment, and discrimination. Her firms in the US and UK have achieved landmark settlements for survivors of abuse and have successfully coordinated international efforts to bring perpetrators to justice. 

In this episode, we are diving into how to create organizational support for your fundraisers and how to ensure your donors understand your guidelines and process for protecting fundraisers from sexual harassment. Dr. Olivarius explains what a nondisclosure agreement is and how it is a tool of oppression. We also talk about how the corporate sector has changed and the progress we have seen in terms of accountability and protection. We address how to deal with legacy issues in organizations, and Dr. Olivarius gives some clear advice around how organizations and this sector can best protect fundraisers and what to do when sexual harassment happens. 

The goals of this episode and series is to acknowledge this issue, learn together, understand what collective action looks like, learn how to create safer environments for our fundraisers, and create an opening to process our past trauma through different lanes of support. As Dr. Olivarius makes clear, the legal route isn’t always recommended. 

If you want to make sure you start at the beginning and hear more background on Dr. Ann Olivarius and her leadership, you might want to jump back and start at Part 1. 

Episode Highlights Part 2: 

(03:26) - The structures that need to be in place for reporting and accountability. 

(08:19) - Some of Dr. Olivarius’ past experiences and how they have given her the clarity to be the activist she is today

(11:30) - How documentation can help to identify patterns of behavior, protect other staff members, and make it clear when you do have a sexual harasser 

(13:06) - Why it’s important to be paying fundraisers more and the role this plays in getting fundraisers the respect they deserve

(14:39) - What is the real role of an NDA and the implications of a nonprofit using or not using them. 

(17:56) - Organizational policy or procedure recommendations from Dr. Olivarius 

(20:28) - A sector we can look at as an example of how change can happen

(23:58) - What is at stake for organizations if they hold people accountable for sexual harassment and what’s at stake if they don’t hold their funders accountable. 

(25:16) What is the intersection in our sector between sexual harassment and the other forms of harassment, abuse, and racism experienced by our Black, Brown, Asian, and Indigenous colleagues 

(27:31) - What to do if you want to file a claim?

(30:24) - Where Dr. Ann Olivarius finds courage: The fight for women equality in many fronts worldwide. 

(34:03) - Managing traumatic stories both personally and professionally 

(36:04) - Where to contact Dr. Ann Olivarius.