Foxy,

Mea culpa, SBS indeed, but still publicly funded and yes, the ABC was lauded as stated.

However there are serious issues I have raised and others might wish to address them.

Houellebecq,

If you had watched Insight on SBS at all closely you would realise that you need to be trained. Everyone does, including school children when the legislation is changed as promised (well, Labor and the Greens rule, so they should make it happen).

Business should be quivering at the threat of mega claims.

Yay, a whole industry is renewed!

Now do you get it or not?

Dear Houellie,

I'm beginning to finally get it.
You're again, simply stirring.

Because, you're fully aware that sexual
harassment is not sexual interaction,
flirtation, attraction, or friendship which
is invited, mutual, consensual or reciprocated.
Sexual harassment has nothing to do with
mutual attraction of consensual behaviour.

And, you are also aware that a person who sexually
harasses someone else is responsible for their
behaviour.

Anyway, Thanks for your inputs - as always
they are appreciated.

OK, under the supposed sexual harassment laws, and your idea of sexual harassment, I have been sexually harassed.

When I was doing school sponsored work experience, I got a job in a financial services office full of 40yo accounts clerks. They spent the whole time teasing me about my ass being cute, and the whole time making sexual comments. I was a shy 15 year old, the only male, and I felt intimidated.

But, really, it is up to me in that situation to get over it. All part of learning to get along with the opposite gender, and no doubt those women meant no harm. The only harm really done was spending a week with a crimson face and being self conscious about how I dressed with my wonderfully pert ass.

I don't think we should have harassment laws that assume any workplace banter includes such a power imbalance. Once women and men are adult, we have to base laws on explicit threats not the imagination of threats. We should all be open minded enough to handle some sexual banter in an office without feeling threatened and making it other peoples problem. Nobody can intimidate you (without violence) unless you give them permission.

cont'd ...

Dear Houellie,

When a boss unzips his trousers and asks
for oral sex from you - in the privacy of his office,
you might think he's joking - but most
people's reactions would be different to
yours. Or when he puts his hands on your
breasts and nuzzles the back of your neck -
telling you explicitly what he'd like
to do to you - it's rather difficult to
laugh it off, especially if you're a
young person without much experience in
dealing with these sort of situations.

Ludwig yes she is a parks worker.
But she works in an area, there are many of them, that even gets web pages as a gay beat.
By the way this beach is very close to homes and thousands of kids.
What to say to rangers is just part of this web page .
Not once but tens of times she and her workmates have seen this openly.
Every time they complain they are threatened with transfer.
Every complaint to police, hard pressed honest blokes, they are restrained by claims they too are homophobic.
More importantly to me Foxys true description of some work places no joke we need constant improvement in this area.
Such men are not in my view men but idiots.

Foxy

"Surveys have found the reverse to
be true. Almost unanimously people declare that
sexual advances in the workplace make them feel
powerless, trapped, defeated, intimated, or demeaned."

So any sexual advance is unacceptable? If this isn't what you believe, clearly articulate the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour.

Pelican

"Should those who sexually harrass others not be responsible for their own behaviour and read the very obvious cues at times that clearly demonstrate their behaviour is not wanted nor is it appropriate in the workplace."

So what do you believe is the clear distinction between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour? Is it just a matter of reading "cues" that behaviour is "not wanted"?