Sexual Harassment...

[Ireneparalegal]

There is a thread under the sports chit/chat regarding an athlete who supposedly sexually harassed a woman.

I was wondering (serious now!) have you ever been sexually harassed? Whether you are male/female, it doesn't matter. I think it would be interesting to read those posts of those who have been so that some people can see that sexual harassment isn't always abt the obvious. A person can be harassed sexually in many different ways.

Before I became a paralegal, I worked as a cashier at an auto parts store. I had wanted to be moved up to a different position in the store. I was told that I was best at cashiering, etc. After I left this job and was considering suing the company for another reason, I was told by a former male co-worker that the reason I was never given the other job within the store was because the manager wanted to keep me on the register and "keep the male customers happy". I asked him to elaborate. He went on to tell me in so many words abt my "chest size" and my looks etc. were something the male customers were happy with. The manager wanted the male customers to continue coming back to the store knowing I would be there. This really pissed me off because I was being judged by how I look rather than my ability. The majority of the workers there were men, and I could hold my own with them, but it really bothered me when I was told this. It goes to show how there are different forms of harassment that can occur.

[Mijada]

There was this guy I used to work with several years ago that was very touchy feely and would say inappropriate things to the women he worked with including me. He would grab my thigh and say things about my chest size. I was so young, naive and stupid at the time that I didn't even realize that it was sexual harassment or that he could get in trouble for it or most importantly that it was against the law. This went on for about a year and I didn't report it because like I said, I didn't think he would get in any trouble and he had been working there much longer than I had and I didn't want to rock the boat. It wasn't until one day when he saw me eating an ice cream cone and asked me if I was "Practicing for him tonight" and another co worker overheard him and reported him that anything was done about it. He was suspended for a few days and warned by the boss to clean up his act or he would be let go permanantly. I never had any problems with him again but I and several other co workers got chewed out by the boss for not reporting him when this all first started. I remember feeling so embarassed and stupid by the whole thing.

[Janice]

Before I was married, a co-worker who was also my supervisor, was obsessed with me. It got to the point that he started rumors that we were having an affair - all lies.

My boyfriend confronted him and told him to knock it off or he would beat the **** out of him, lol. It worked. He never bothered me again.

He was a real nutcase.

[Ireneparalegal]

You ladies made two good points in your posts that sexual harassment comes in very different ways. It could be verbal, also touching could be involved, spreading rumors, etc.

[GARFIELDKOOL]

There was a girl I was trying to get with a while back. She wouldn't give out her home #, but she gave out her job #. I kept calling her job, even though she wasn't interested in me. I wouldn't give up on her though. Would that be considered sexual harrassment?

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by GARFIELDKOOL

There was a girl I was trying to get with a while back. She wouldn't give out her home #, but she gave out her job #. I kept calling her job, even though she wasn't interested in me. I wouldn't give up on her though. Would that be considered sexual harrassment?

No. But the fact she gave her job number instead of her home tells me she is hooked up!!! be careful.

[Mijada]

Why the heck did she give you any number if she wasn't interested in you? She sounds like a tease and not even worth bothering with. I'm with Irene on this one. Beware!

[consentida]

I had a teacher who used to hug me and run her fingers through my hair for no reason. Does that count?

Other than that, I can't think of any other instances when I was sexually harrassed.

[GARFIELDKOOL]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

No. But the fact she gave her job number instead of her home tells me she is hooked up!!! be careful.

From the get go I asked her if she had a boyfriend when she wouldn't give out her home #. She claimed she didn't and "enjoyed the single life"

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by GARFIELDKOOL

From the get go I asked her if she had a boyfriend when she wouldn't give out her home #. She claimed she didn't and "enjoyed the single life"

Then she is married and cheats on her husband!!!!!!!!!

[Hollow]

i've been randomly ambushed and humped by guys at school as recently as a few weeks ago, but it's not in that serious of a manner, it's always been where there are a lot of other people around like in the library and i don't feel the need to do much about it other than laugh and shove them away. and i've been hit on to the point of irritation and have told some of them to **** off or shut up when they said hi to me, it was mostly in my freshman year though..other than that, there have been a few verbal remarks but i've never been sexually abused or anything.

[Brieannas21]

In college I was harassed by a professor of mine, he would put his arm around my neck all the time if I were standing next to him asking a question, then one day he started to lean in and he said that he was just trying to smell my perfume. After that incident I dropped his class.

[MsOrange]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

Before I became a paralegal, I worked as a cashier at an auto parts store. I had wanted to be moved up to a different position in the store. I was told that I was best at cashiering, etc. After I left this job and was considering suing the company for another reason, I was told by a former male co-worker that the reason I was never given the other job within the store was because the manager wanted to keep me on the register and "keep the male customers happy". I asked him to elaborate. He went on to tell me in so many words abt my "chest size" and my looks etc. were something the male customers were happy with. The manager wanted the male customers to continue coming back to the store knowing I would be there. This really pissed me off because I was being judged by how I look rather than my ability. The majority of the workers there were men, and I could hold my own with them, but it really bothered me when I was told this. It goes to show how there are different forms of harassment that can occur.

i hope you reported them, that just isn't right.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by MsOrange

i hope you reported them, that just isn't right.

I did. Those "men" no longer work for the company.

[MsOrange]

Originally Posted by GARFIELDKOOL

There was a girl I was trying to get with a while back. She wouldn't give out her home #, but she gave out her job #. I kept calling her job, even though she wasn't interested in me. I wouldn't give up on her though. Would that be considered sexual harrassment?

calling someone over and over even though you know they are not interested probably sin't considered SEXUAL harrassment, but it could be considered harrassment.