The point is that it is almost impossible for a man to understand what women deal with on a daily basis, because by and large they are not exposed to the same treatment.
Does that mean all men are bad, or indifferent? No, of course not. It is a relatively small minority who feel they can treat women in a negative way.
But like any kind of abuse we see – whether it is based on gender, race, religion, sexuality, disability and so on – if we do not challenge it when we see it, how will it ever end?
One adviser went viral this month for his respectful and thoughtful tweet on the subject when he asked what he could do to make women feel safer. The high level of interest was most likely because that is a question we are rarely asked by a man. But it is perhaps one that should be asked more often.
When it comes to the client meetings you have, especially the initial ones with women on their own, do you take any time to ask yourself this question? It may not cross your mind to think this, but I can assure you that whichever woman you are meeting probably has.
We send messages to friends about our plans so if they do not hear from us by a certain time they know to worry. We plan routes home so we do not have to go into dark areas. We specifically park under lights in car parks.
If you have had any kind of self-defence training, you also park your car in a way that means you can just get in and drive off without needing to reverse in case you need to make a quick escape.
To be fair, many men may do the same. But whether they feel a similar fear is something only the individual could answer.
There is no getting away from the fact that the majority of advisers are male. The majority of your clients are probably male too.
But the message here really is to take some time to think about how you deal with female clients. Think about where you would meet, what they might feel and what you can do to allay any fears they may have.
Zoom meetings have made it easy for us to ‘meet’ people in the comfort and safety of our own homes, and for some that may still be a preferred route. But as we emerge from lockdown, now would be a good time to think about how you can help your female clients feel completely at ease.
