Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I don't think you read my post thoroughly--I'm in my 50s--no one tries to pick me up and carry me anymore. I was responding to a number of posters who seem to think that women cry sexual harassment over nothing to make money--I think women put up with an amazing amount of crap before they say or do anything, and even then they know that coming forward can hurt them professionally. My situation was 30 years ago--long before we had laws or even awareness of sexual harassment, or even what was appropriate workplace behavior. I don't think some of the younger women understand what many of us went through trying to carve out a professional path for the women that came behind us, and why this issue strikes such a nerve. Would I tolerate it now? Absolutely not, but I didn't have that option when I was a very young, pretty girl just starting out at that point in this country's history. At the time, I drew the line when it went over the top, but I had to walk the line on not making too big of a fuss, or I'd be seen as "not a team player." You could also pretty much tell the difference between misguided attempts at being funny, and men who were being obnoxious and lecherous.
I think men obviously have a better understanding of what's appropriate now that there are more professional women in the workplace, and now that we DO have sexual harassment laws and training. There's no excuse for inappropriate touching or talk at this point--they know better. The jerks who go ahead with it generally go after women who are very young, or vulnerable in some other way--they have subordinate positions to them, or they resent having to work with women as equals. It is bullying behavior--you're right. I'm no longer young, and now I'm the one at the top. Women in my position--who had to put up with it years ago and didn't have any recourse--need to speak up for the younger women and call out this crap for what it is.
ITA with you. I am a woman and do work in HR and it is usually always the younger, sweet women who are harrassed. The victim of the situation I described above, the one where we had to fire the harrasser was in her mid 20s. Most of them are new in the work place. Though I think I'm attractive, I'm in my 30s and most think I'm in my late 20s, but I have an attitude about me that I don't take any crap from people. The women who are singled out are usually nice than me. The claims that we have gotten from women, these ladies usually do not want anything to come of it at all. They don't want to be singled out. They don't want anyone else in the company to know. They don't want to risk losing their job, especially in today's job market and especially if they are skilled for our particular industry since word still does get around and it will be hard to find a position if people know that you filed a suit for sexual harrassment. The woman who was repeatedly harrassed and I won't go into detail other than what I wrote above but just know it was outrageous to us in HR that a man would do something in today's day and age like this, never filed a suit and just wanted him to stop interacting with her. She even said she didn't want him fired, she just wanted him to leave her alone. He wouldn't so he had to go after multiple sit-downs and interventions. The employee admitted that he had been harrassing her for nearly a year before she even said anything to her manager as there is still a stigma associated with sexual harrassment.
While you are correct, that women do put up with a lot in the workplace, and I don't mean to make light of the many situations that do happen. But as many do, there are also women who sue over nothing, nothing, to make money...There are two sides to this coin...and I'm very sorry for anyone who has ever been literally harrassed on the job...I have to, and I didn't want to cause trouble or loose my job...but I did tell, and the man was moved to another job..later I found out, there were other young women he harrassed. However, there are also many women out there who are NOT Harrassed, but claim to be, to make a buck, period!
sorry you can't appreciate the other side of the coin, but it does happen and quit a lot...there are all kinds of people in this world...
and by the way, I also work in a professional environment, but there are thousands of employees...world wide...literally thousands.
So one more time, while it is unfortunate, that there ARE women who are sexually harrassed, there are also those that are not....but sue
and no one is saying, that women are not harrassed sexually...
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
