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Friday, February 2, 2007

SEXUAL HARASSMENT!

I'm tackling this thorny subject while I'm thoroughly annoyed, fresh from having been told by a friend, a young woman that she is out of a job because of the unrelenting pressure of a fellow worker who just would not take "No!" for an answer.

Where do I start to deal with this? The Neanderthal man who is the villain of this piece does not seem to understand that the women with whom he works are there in the workplace because they have bills to pay, just as he does. They are not there to add colour and glamour to the place, nor are they there to be his playthings. They have a job to do, and incidentally so does he.

Grow up you moron! Leave the women in peace to do their jobs. What is wrong with you? I understand that you will want to look and admire, but respect the workplace for what it is.

This particular woman loved her job. It was her career and she was good at it. The harassment started innocently enough. She is adamant that she did nothing to encourage it because she was only too aware of the dangers of on-the-job romances. Whether she did or did not, anyway, she was already spoken for. But he was persistent.

The lady in question is overwhelmingly attractive, and I am sure that other men in the company thought highly and lustingly after her, but they kept their distance, as they should. Lothario, however, didn't know where to draw the line. This is were a very clear company policy about non-fraterization between employees would have helped.

When his persistence extended to unwelcome visits to her home she felt afraid for her safety. Eventually she approached the company to complain. Unfortunately her harasser was a key man in the company, although not her boss. The company took the easy way out and paid her a year's salary to leave while promising to talk to the offender about not re-offending in the future.

I think this particular man committed a crime and should be paying the penalty as we speak. Instead, it's his victim who is paying the price.

The biggest problem with workplace sexual harassment is that the most effective kind is that which is practised by those in authority and with power, the very people who should know better, and the very people who are supposed to protect the workforce.

Men! It is never a good idea to fish from the company wharf for love partners. Women, you make a grave mistake when you decide to enter into an intimate relationship with a male, or for that matter a female co-worker. It will end in tears and one of you will have to seek employment elsewhere. Of course you should both be penalised, but usually it's the woman who ends up getting screwed again.

If you know of someone who does this to the women at work, or, hopefully if you are a reformed harasser, I would love to hear from you. Should you be guilty of this behaviour I hope you will have the sense and sensibility to clean up your act. Otherwise, you imbecile, I hope that some woman sues your butt into the ground!

I can be contacted at eugene.spain@gmail.com

Copyright (c) 2007 - Eugene Carmichael