CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Weeks after the president of the Chicago-based National Association of Realtors (NAR) resigned amid sexual harassment allegations, a new coalition met with the association to demand reforms.
Three women from the NAR alleged sexual harassment by now-former president Kenny Parcell. They cited a pattern of improper touching, as well as lewd photos and texts.
The women were subsequently offered severance payments tied to nondisclosure agreements. In the weeks since the report became public, the NAR Accountability Project launched with the help of Jason Haber.
“We went to our people who signed up with us and we said, ‘What can NAR do right now? Not six months, not a year from now. What can they do right now?’”
Haber said he’s received “calls, emails, texts [and] private messages from women around the country who are tired of the harassment, of the assaults, of the abuse.”
“It must end,” he told reporters.
The NAR is one the largest professional organizations in the country, and while the coalition cited that real estate skews heavily female — with 66% of NAR’s members being women — NAR’s current top leaders are mainly men.
“While a change in leadership, which has happened, is a start, there are crucial improvements needed to deal with harassment that go much further,” said Sharmili Majmudar, the executive vice president of policy at Women Employed.
The coalition said it wants to see a reform in workplace culture, as well as changes that would make it easier and safer to report sexual harassment.
“To make real change, NAR must understand that the issue goes beyond an incident, or a set of incidents, or one or two bad actors,” said Majmudar. “It requires a commitment to build a culture that does not tolerate or normalize the dehumanization and humiliation of harassment.”
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