Understand, Recognize, and Report Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment remains a widespread problem, affecting millions of people in the workplace, schools, and public spaces. This video explains what sexual harassment is, provides recent statistics on the prevalence of sexual harassment, outlines key behaviors to watch out for, and guides viewers through effective reporting options.
“Good Morning America” alum Joanne Landen gets candid about her early days in the news industry.
Landen, a renowned television journalist who co-anchored the ABC morning show from 1980 to 1997, claims in her new memoir, “Joan: A Life Beyond the Script,” that she was sexually harassed by a former boss during her time as an up-and-coming host at WABC.
A Daytime Emmy Award-nominated broadcaster, Landen worked as a reporter and then anchor for the television network’s flagship New York station from 1975 until her “GMA” debut in 1980.
In her memoir, Ms. Landen said that her boss, a story editor who uses the pseudonym “Ted,” invited her to a work gathering on Fire Island, initially describing the trip as “a good opportunity to socialize with the rest of the team.”
Lunden, who was 25 when she joined WABC, wrote that she “didn’t have any close friendships in the newsroom and was worried that I would feel awkward and uncomfortable like the tagalongs.” “With some encouragement, I agreed to go. I had never been to the famous Fire Island before. I had heard that cars were not allowed on the island, so I had to take a ferry.”
But when she and Ted arrived on the barrier island, Landen said she was surprised to find that the only other people in attendance were a WCBS reporter and his girlfriend, giving the impression that the gathering was actually more like an “overnight double date.”
“I felt ashamed that I had been naive enough to let this situation go on, and as a woman, I was angry that my male boss at work thought I could get away with it,” Lunden recalled. “He thought I would go along with it.”
USA TODAY has reached out to a representative for WABC for comment.
Joanne Landen details sexual harassment by former boss
After Landen realized her travel plans had changed, she made it clear to Ted that she was not interested in making their relationship personal.
“‘Ted, you know, this is not what I signed up for,’ I said, trying to be strong but not too aggressive, because he was my boss,” Landen recalled in his memoir. “I was praying that he would say, ‘Oh, that’s too bad. I’m sorry, please let me take you home.'” Instead, he tried to be charming and downplay it. “Look, the original plan may have failed, but we’re all here, so let’s just have fun.”
Ms Landen added that Ted allegedly pressured her to sleep in the same bedroom and then ended up sleeping on the sofa.
The “Good Morning America” alum explained that after the Fire Island trip, Ted’s professional attitude seemed to become more hostile, with co-workers beginning to “crush” her articles or interfere with her work’s airtime.
“I was learning that there is no fury in hell like a man scorned,” Landen wrote. “I felt weak and powerless. Not only that, but my reputation was tarnished. It was obvious that a) I went to Fire Island with my immediate superior, and b) that my story wasn’t getting out to the public.”
Joanne Landen threatens legal action against ex-boss after workplace ‘revenge’
Landen said the fact that her story wasn’t aired also affected her income at the time, as reporters typically “paid a base salary plus an additional fee for each story that aired.”
“But even more disturbing than the loss in pay was having to put up with his behavior and the words it spoke to me and other women who just wanted to work as equals,” Landen wrote. “His actions clearly sent the message that women are not equal to men, and that if I rejected his advances he was free to take revenge. This was clearly sexual harassment and sexism.”
The TV journalist said Ted’s behavior continued for “several months” and that she consulted with her agent and lawyer, who advised Landen that she could sue for sexual harassment and discrimination. She then met with Ted to inform him of possible legal action, which “gave his attention” and even prompted an apology.
“I could tell by the look on his face that my punch had landed,” Landen wrote. “He left and we both went back to work. Sometimes you have to put on your big girl pants and stand up for yourself, even if it feels very uncomfortable and scary.”
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline provides free, confidential, 24/7 support in English and Spanish to survivors and their loved ones: 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org and en Español RAINN.org/es.
