Michael Fallon Defence secretary resigns

Enki

It was not acceptable 15 20 years ago, just nowhere to take it or to be taken seriously.

EarthRod

In sheltered polite genteel society where tea is sipped from small bone china cups, I think you are right.

However, where tea is slurped from chipped dirty mugs by hairy-arsed men - I think you are wrong.

Hence - a grey subjective area.

Enki

Rather quaint way to describe Fallon and his ilk..

tapzilla2k

I suspect there is a lot about Keith Vaz we don't know, but that is the path that leads to libel litigation.

tausifs

So whether something constitutes harassment or not should be viewed through the prism of social class?

I think you should stop digging that hole for yourself.

IronGiant

We need a bit of historical perspective here.  
20-30 years ago it would be unusual not to see a Page three calendar in your local garage, if you went in the office there might well have been a PlayBoy one with a full genital display.   

That's completely unacceptable now but it was commonplace back then.  The world has moved on.  
Interesting that some of our members haven't and think sexual innuendo is a "bant".

raduv1

The common blue collar worker in my own personal opinion has moved on . Sexual harassment, minority groups ,  religion etc etc is a no go area . Companies have made great strides in bringing the workforce into a tollerent workplace that respects others and has hard and fast HR rules for peeps that transgress them.

The problem though is the buggers with power continue to abuse their positions in power in all and every aspect . These dinasours have not moved on and in fact continue to use and abuse their status .

Let the heads roll I say.

IronGiant

Seems like a few members here fall into that category

Toko Black

I think it was considered to be more acceptable because no one actually said anything about it.
Had you actually asked the female staff at the time 'off the record', I believe most of them would have said it was disgusting and made them feel uncomfortable, but they just put up with it as they didn't want to cause a fuss, get austracised for being a prude/grass, or even loose their jobs.
My mum who's 74 mentioned that when she was in her early 20's starting out working as a book keeper, she and the other women in the office had to put up with managers and other male colleges leaning right over them while they sat at their desks and brushing against them etc.
She said it was 'horrible', but you just had to grin and bare it as 'that was the done thing'.

It's one thing if it's a group of close colleges that are very friendly and/or flirt consensusaly, it's another when it's your boss who's twice your age or some grubby little man.

I find it disturbing that while men are supposed to make the first move, now we are in a mine field of whether it's an acceptable amorous advance, or sexual harrassment based on personal opinions and perceptions. There should be some actually guidance, not just for men but for women as well in terms of what is reasonable and what would be considered an over reaction.
Women also need to start taking responsibility for their own behaviours in terms of how they dress for work and how they behave. It is one thing to say a woman should be able to wear and behave how she likes without being sexually harrassed, but if you are in your dressed in not much more than your underwear and flirting with all the men, then don't be surprised if you get some comments and advances - but there are some things that are clearly not acceptable to anyone, like someone forcing themselves upon you or not taking no for an answer.

rancidpunk

There really is no minefield though. There's a world of difference in asking someone out for dinner/drinks etc, or even just paying a compliment in conversation, and anything that could be considered sexual harassment.
I'd suggest that if someone is confused over what might be considered harrassment, they might want to look at themself for where the problem lies.