Verbal Sexual Harassment

Q: what is Verbal Sexual Harassment

A: Verbal sexual harassment in it's de facto interpretation is defined as any familiar or sexually oriented attention from an undesired source. This means that if a man approaches a woman at work to invite her to dinner and she has been dying for him to ask, then no harassment has occurred. If the exact same exchange occurs and she is not interested in him, then she has been harassed, and can bring charges. The only difference is her attitude toward him, not his actions. You see, the latest unwritten amendment to the constitution gives everyone the unalienable right to never be uncomfortable. Sleights and clumsily executed pursuits that would have been casually disregarded in the past are now fodder for litigation. Like it or not, that's how it is. Now, how should it be? First, men should get a clue and learn that no usually means no, and if it doesn't it invariably becomes yes without constant and annoying prodding. Second, no level of physical contact is appropriate in the workplace unless you are a wrestling instructor. Thirdly, anything you wouldn't say openly in a group of coworkers is probably inappropriate conversation for the office. Now to the women. You need to tell him that what he is doing or saying makes you uncomfortable, that you feel it is inappropriate, and (before you shout me down)--in those cases where he won't back off--that you will pursue a harassment charge if it is necessary. Remember that I'm talking about verbal harassment. Inappropriate physical contact is another issue, and while I wouldn't want someone to lose his job for tapping a female coworker on the shoulder, I think it's safe to say that any man who doesn't have at least enough common sense to keep his hands to himself at work probably deserves an enforced career change.

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