Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!ora!daemon
From: operator%saturn@ucselx.sdsu.edu (The Dump Daemon)
Newsgroups: soc.feminism
Subject: Re: Sexual Harrassment at the workplace
Message-ID: <1991Jan7.105722.29806@ucselx.sdsu.edu>
Date: 14 Jan 91 20:24:57 GMT
References: <29057@usc>
Sender: ambar@ora.com (Jean Marie Diaz)
Organization: San Diego State University, Math Dept.
Lines: 66
Approved: ambar@ora.com

In article <29057@usc> mary@mizar.usc.EDU (Mary Froehlig) writes:
> A couple of weeks ago, my office hired a temporary employee from a
> reputable agency.  Unfortunately, the guy was very odd, and we found
> out that he made really inappropriate remarks to one of my student
> workers.  This girl is 18 (just turned) and didn't know how to respond
> to his question, "so, you went to a girls' school...are you a nun or a
> slut?"

It is a rather widely held (albeit dubious) belief that those who
attend an "all-girls" school are more likely to have devious sexual
proclivities.  This belief is not restricted to men, nor to criminals.

Is this sexual harassment?  What if another "girl" had made this
statement?  What were the circumstances under which he made this
statement?  Was it as a response to an equally offensive comment by
the girl?  Is her innocence presumed because she is a girl?  And his
guilt because he is a man?

>I told him we didn't need his services anymore after this came out

The recommended course of action would usually be to tell him that
such comments are unacceptable in the professional environment and
that any further specific complaints brought against him would be
grounds for dismissal.

The proper course of action should be based on a much much much much
more in-depth explanation of the circumstances than the one you have
provided - the one on which most of your replies will have been based.

> I thought he was basically weird but harmless, but I found out that my
> student worker was _afraid_ of him (that he would do her physical harm)

Does the student worker's reaction fundamentally change the nature of
the actions taken by the temporary employee?  Would it make him less
guilty, or even innocent, if she were not afraid?  Is her fear of
physical harm justified solely by the comment he made which you have
quoted above?

> and my SO, who has met this guy, has also said never to be alone at the
> office if the guy says he will "stop by."

That's a very strong statement.  Very strong to be submitted in your
posting without any supporting evidence at all.  Very strong to be
submitted by someone whose objectivity is questionable.

> So, I'd like to know how you all would view this situation.

The amount of relevant information provided in the original posting is
less than ten sentences.  Much of the information is vague and
essentially amounts to what would rightly be considered hearsay.  A
situation in the workplace should be treated with the utmost
professionalism and fairness.  Hearsay and other unsupported
accusations are intolerable (in theory).

It is impossible to make a fair judgement based solely on the evidence
you have given in your original posting.

The career and therefore life of a human being is at stake, and it is
within your power to significantly and permanently damage it.  Would
you choose to have your future decided by essentially anonymous and
thoroughly subjective reactions to a two paragraph accusation made
against you from which you had no opportunity to defend yourself?

I wouldn't.

-Larry