Sexual Harassment

Many people are under the impression that they can hide behind their keyboard and computer screen and get away with anything. In recent years, reports of online sexual harassment, assault, and cyberbullying have increased. Victims can be adults or children of all backgrounds and incomes. According to a study released by the Pew Research Center…

Sexual harassment is a form of harassment that involves the use of implicit and explicit sexual overtones. It is a collection of unwanted and unwelcome physical and verbal sexual attention. Although workplace harassment is the most common form of sexual harassment that most of us think about, sexual harassment happens across all parts of life.…

Sexual violence has been an issue on many college campuses for quite some time. Anyone – any age, gender, race, or student status – is at risk for violence, harassment, or assault on their college or university campus. In fact, experts assert that 13 percent of all college students experience rape or sexual assault through…

Even in this current day and age, there are occupations that are still male-dominated and difficult for female employees to navigate safely. When we think of police officers and firefighters, for example, we tend to see more police officers and firefighters who are men than women. One of the reasons why these types of occupations…

A recent report from the RAND Corporation found that sexual assaults on non-heterosexual service members comprise nearly half of all military assaults. Because most research only focuses on the dangers and risks women face in the military, this study shines a light on another vulnerable population, as well as points to areas needing further examination…

In a sexual assault case filed in Alameda County, a former Berkeley High School student alleges the Berkeley United School District (BUSD) employed a sexual predator for decades. Matthew Bissell, who is no longer employed at the school, is also named as a defendant in the suit. A previous Title IX investigation found a years-long…

A common form of workplace harassment is inappropriate touching. It is a traumatic experience that often leaves employees not wanting to return to work, not wanting to perform their duties, and causes them to suffer emotional stress. Inappropriate touching at work is unwelcome, nonconsensual physical contact that violates personal boundaries and creates a hostile work…

A bombshell October 29 story from the New York Times revealing rampant sexual harassment in the prestigious sommelier industry has led to the suspension of seven members of the Court of Master Sommeliers. All seven men are accused of sexual misconduct involving women who were candidates for the title of master sommelier – 21 women…

Back in July, an officer from the Los Angeles Police Department filed a lawsuit against the city, accusing Mayor Eric Garcetti’s close advisor Rick Jacobs of sexually harassing him over a period of several years. The officer, Matthew Garza, was assigned to Garcetti’s security detail in 2013 and, according to his complaint, became a target…

Many companies have a non-fraternization policy among coworkers. Part of the policy is intended to keep employees focused on work. If you’re not wasting company time getting sidetracked with business hour flirtations and long lunches, more gets done and more money gets made. Another reason has to do with romantic relationships between employees that sour…

Dozens of past employees of The Ellen Show have claimed that they were the victims of sexual harassment and other types of sexual misconduct by certain top-tier producers of the show. In the aftermath of these allegations, the show’s parent company – WarnerMedia – carried out an investigation. Subsequently, on August 17 three of the…

The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently established new guidelines for monitoring complaints involving sexual harassment responsible by scientists who financially support the agency. The guidelines, issued in June 2020, cover the actions the agency must take when it becomes aware of allegations of sexual misconduct. These include preventing the issuance of pending grants,…

The industry known as “e-sports” has grown exponentially over the last decade. This form of sports entertainment involves professional gamers who play a wide variety of video games on various platforms, all under the structure of organized competition. These competitive events and tournaments are highly publicized and heavily attended. Millions around the world watch these…

Several prominent men in the Los Angeles, CA area have recently been charged with sexual assault crimes against women. Adult film actor Ron Jeremy (Ronald Jeremy Hyatt), 67, is one of these men. The charges filed against him include the rape of three women and the sexual assault of a fourth. The alleged victims range…

Everyone is entitled to a harassment-free workplace. When a co-worker, business associate, or superior treats you in a way that qualifies as sexual harassment, your first instinct may be to simply keep quiet. Often, employees don’t want to make waves and hope the perpetrator will just stop. However, if you are subjected to harassment on…

Virtual meetings have become the go-to method of communicating for workplaces and schools throughout California and all across the country ever since the Coronavirus pandemic took over the United States. With schools moving to remote learning and many workplaces moving their employees to remote settings, virtual meetings have been how people are still completing their…

Have you experienced the situation in your workplace in which your boss or someone in authority over you, or even a coworker, persistently makes unwanted sexual advances? You may have told the perpetrator to stop numerous times, but he refuses. You may have even filed a complaint with your company’s human resources department according to…

The subject of sexual harassment virtually always conjures up thoughts of a man preying on a woman’s vulnerable position. It can happen at work, walking down the street, in an educational setting, at the gym, or even in a place of worship. When rumors start to fly, the perpetrator is almost always vilified, and rightfully…

It feels like a lifetime of misery. Going to work every day and having to work side by side with a co-worker who deems it a personal game to see how much sexual harassment you can take. He knows he won’t be reprimanded. He’s done this for years with various co-workers who were previously in…

How would you like a lawsuit with those fries? McDonalds is no stranger to being sued. If you’ve seen the movie “The Founder” then you know that the company didn’t exactly start out lawsuit-free. Over the years, Micky Ds has fought battles over hot coffee injuries, overcharging customers, and of late, the sexual harassment of…

In what seems to be the silver lining in the dark cloud that was the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment claims and the rise of the #MeToo movement, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reports that in 2018, sexual harassment claims increased by 13.6% over the previous year, while the total number of complaints of workplace…

A recent law designed to protect child actors by providing sexual harassment prevention training is being delayed. Deadline reports that, according to the California Labor Commissioner’s office, the reason for the delay is that the two vendors contracted to provide the necessary training materials weren’t getting the job done. One vendor, according to Deadline, was…

At the climax of the Me Too movement, governmental leaders in California were unable to answer the most basic questions about the pervasive sexual harassment complaints swirling through state government agencies. The reason is that in 2012, the state shut down its system for tracking harassment and discrimination allegations. (The justification for this involved the…

A recently released report revealed some interesting statistics in the wake of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movement – that more Californians experience sexual harassment than anyone else in the country. The report states that sexual harassment and assault cases in our state are 5% higher for women, and 10% higher for men (especially gay or…