06.03.09
A Quick Overview Of Some of The Cases We’ve Helped
I began this blog last December, and since then we’ve received over 5,000 visitors. I’ve also received private e-mails that I’ve responded to with (hopefully) helpful advice and coaching for women who have been victims of alleged sexual harassment. Here are some highlights of their stories. I’ve protected their anonymity at their request so I will summarize their experiences and will not use their real names:
“Susie” worked in a hospital and was being touched inappropriately by a male co-worker. She shared her entire story with us and wanted help with approaching her Human Resources department so that she could manage her complaint on her own. We provided information, coaching, and help with her preparation for that HR meeting.
“Sandy” works in a cocktail restaurant/bar and was subject to frequent fondling and sexual demands by her superior. He also held her job over her head unless she returned sexual favors to him. We provided comparative analysis of her situation against a hostile work environment and quid pro quo harassment as identified in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. We discussed her options to file a complaint with restaurant management or other options.
“Sally” was complaining about being docked in pay, and was quite upset about it. She was concerned about being told to “calm down,” and was wondering if such a reference was harassment. After we explored her situation further, we assured her that it probably wasn’t a case of harassment, but that the wage mistakes needed to be corrected in a timely basis and she should consult with her union representative and/or the labor board if the situation persisted. As it turned out, the wage issue was an error and was supposed to be corrected.
“Two teenagers” wrote to me about problems being stalked by older men. In one case, a considerably older man was doing lewd and sexual acts over the internet, and in the second case, and older man was doing lewd acts over his cell phone. In both cases I encouraged the young women to stop all conversation with the men, and report the incidents to their parents even though it would be a hard thing to do. I also told them to contact the police and file complaints about the men’s behavior. I was assured that both of these women were going to follow this advice.
I’ve met other women in the past six months, but these cases represent the kinds of issues that I’ve received. If you have a question, or problem, no matter how large or small, please contact me at normarae2008@gmail or at this blog site. My goal is to help as many women as I can as we sort out the questions and challenges of sexual harassment.
Thanks for reading and writing – Normarae
