DURING A RECENT City Arts and Lectures program, Tom Hanks was asked by interviewer Dave Eggers to comment on the sexual harassment and abuse cases coming to light in Hollywood. He launched into a well thought out and poignant observation about the current rash of accusations in Hollywood and elsewhere.

He pointed out that, in the workplace, those in charge assume (incorrectly) a certain privilege because of their status that they believe allows them to make the rules and to demand and expect that their requests, demands, and desires be obeyed. He admitted that this was not a new phenomena, but, while it may actually stem from some primordial male trait, it is inexcusable, not only in the workplace, but in civilization.

I have yet to meet a woman who can tell me that she has not experienced at least harassment, if not worse, at work. They get it not only from their bosses and others in positions of power, but from men they work with and strangers on the street. It is pervasive.

So, what are we going to do about this? I think there needs to be a concerted effort to answer that question which fall into three categories: What are companies and organizations going to do? What are individual men and women going to do? And, what are we going to do as a society? There are no simple solutions and there’s a lot of room for error, but if we don’t have a plan, nothing will happen. So, I’m going to suggest some strategies. This is just me speculating and looking for solutions. You should all feel free (and obligated!) to come up with your own.

To begin with, men and women must further what began as the #MeToo campaign and adopt a “see something, say something” policy. It is very difficult to be vocal about abuse when you are the victim, particularly when you feel that no one has your back. This means that women and men alike must make it known that they will listen to concerns and support actions if taken and, to say something and intervene when abuse is seen. It also means that men must exercise some empathy when reviewing their own behavior. We all enjoy room for improvement, and this is a great opportunity to explore those possibilities.

As I mentioned in my last column, after listening to the IATSE women speak at our convention about their careers and their experiences in the business, many IA leaders and members left with the same thought, “Am I part of the problem?” The simple answer is, “yes.” Even those of us who think we are being decent men are guilty of not looking at our comments and actions from the point of view of others around us—men and women. We need to develop an empathic eye and ear in order to more clearly see the effect on others of words and actions. Even if you aren’t the source, if you ignore or fail to recognize the impact on another person, you are a part of the problem. Empathy doesn’t come naturally to all. It is a learned skill and all of us need to take the lesson.

As for companies and organizations, it is incumbent on them to look at their cultures honestly and with input from employees and/or members. This is also going to require fresh eyes and open perspectives to assist in this review that will come from professionals outside the organizations. Relative to the extent and severity of the problem, each entity will need to educate their constituents about the issues and the causes, train them to look for problems, and how to intervene and/or report situations that occur. They must also delineate steps to address each problem in ways that look toward protecting the victims first and then dealing with the offenders in clearly laid out steps.

As a society, we must create space for dialogue so that we can achieve a deeper understanding of the issues and their origins.

We must listen and believe the victims, and not dismiss their experiences. We have to train our kids so that they understand from early on that their words and actions have consequences that affect others. We must teach them empathy. And, we must demonstrate our own commitment to treating others with respect and dignity.

There is a reluctance to bring up these sensitive issues with those we aren’t sure agree with us. But, if there is no dialogue, no difficult conversation, then we are condemned to repeat the past and remain a society where one group lives in fear of the other. When women in our society begin to feel that this disgraceful tide has turned and when men own the responsibility for their role in perpetuating this unacceptable behavior, then we can move forward. Until then, support your sisters in their fight to expose abuse and harassment and work to be a part of the solution.