Silencing women: an empirical exploration of denial, intimidation, gaslighting, performativity, and corporate human rights abuses

This chapter explains the forms by which women, who are at higher risk of human rights abuses in the business setting, find their claims of abuse silenced. Using a database of corporate abuse against women, we explore how silencing functions across different structural levels, stemming from societal norms and business behaviors that impact women in the workplace. We take an exploratory approach and learn, through these cases, more about how silencing emerges and is maintained. We discuss the weaknesses in the United Nations’ (UN) guidance on gender dimensions of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and further, we find evidence that reliance on firms to evaluate and audit human rights impacts may be prone to misuse. Our analysis shows how protections designed to support human rights in the workplace may prevent human rights victims from being heard. We suggest important areas for further research.