CAN WE TALK ABOUT SEX? (Mini-rant)

It's almost 2017, and we're still talking about sexual harassment!  For some reason, CEO's, Directors, Producers, Actors, Chairmen, and more feel a sense of entitlement when it comes to what can be communicated or done to women in the workplace. They don't feel bad about it either, until they get caught.   Even then, those fingers are firmly pointed towards the victims in blame.

I saw the 1994 blockbuster movie Disclosure with Demi Moore and Michael Douglas and was horrified, but I didn't think it actually happened in real life. Of course, I totally loved the ending!

When Gretchen Carlson filed a lawsuit against Roger Ailes, and Fox tried to fight back by saying she was just a disgruntled worker, I knew it was only a matter of time before the real story came out.  It didn't take long before other women came forth with similar claims against the 76 year old, some going back all the way to the 60's.  

But the one who appeared to be more credible  to the world it seems, was my girl Megyn Kelly, who just happens to be an attorney. Then all hell broke loose.  Yay!

Let's not forget our pudding friend, Bill Cosby, who had the hearts of all Americans.  This man cheated on his wife and had another child, then we find out he's being charged with three (alleged) aggravated indecent sexual assault against 1 woman, but there are a ton more complaints from other women.  I'm always willing to give the benefit of the doubt, but if more than 5 women are consistently saying the same thing - Houston, we now have a problem.

Because you are rich or in a position of power does not give you the right to say or do what you want to satisfy your personal needs or desires. There are supposed to be boundaries. Unwanted sexual innuendos, promotions received as some sort of payment for wrongdoings by the alleged perpetrator, intimidation tactics, and other shady dealings that are swept under the carpet, are all ridiculous.  No, Mr. Boss, I do NOT want you massaging my neck, or rubbing on my leg, dang it, and your breast jokes suck!

Sexual harassment and assault are more forms of abuse, control and manipulation.  Covert sexual hinting, patting someone on the butt,  making unwanted advances towards women, invading someone's personal space enough to be uncomfortable and creepy, drugging them to have sex, and a whole lot more is not cute.  Even worse, it's dang illegal!

Here's the definition from the EEOC:

Sexual Harassment

"It is unlawful to harass a person (an applicant or employee) because of that person’s sex. Harassment can include “sexual harassment” or unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature.

Harassment does not have to be of a sexual nature, however, and can include offensive remarks about a person’s sex. For example, it is illegal to harass a woman by making offensive comments about women in general.

Both victim and the harasser can be either a woman or a man, and the victim and harasser can be the same sex.

Although the law doesn’t prohibit simple teasing, offhand comments, or isolated incidents that are not very serious, harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in an adverse employment decision (such as the victim being fired or demoted).

The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or someone who is not an employee of the employer, such as a client or customer."

Definition of Aggravated Indecent Assault

Title 18, Section 3125 defines aggravated indecent assault as when the accused penetrates the sexual organ or anus of the alleged victim. The statute requires that the act is done without the victim's consent, by force, by threat of force, when the victim is unconscious or when the victim is otherwise not aware the penetration is happening, if the victim has been drugged, if the victim has a mental disability, if the victim is younger than 13 or if the victim is younger than 16 and the accused if four or more years and the accused and the victim are not married.

Aggravated indecent assault is different, legally, than rape and sexual assault because both those charges involve what the law narrowly defines as "sexual intercourse." Under the law, sexual intercourse is limited to a sexual organ penetrating either another sexual organ or the anus. Under aggravated indecent assault, a broader set of circumstances might meet the definition of the charge.