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Sexual Harassment Cases

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In the past, sexual harassment was viewed by the courts as being either a criminal or civil violation. In fact, when the harasser was charged with a criminal violation it was considered as an assault and when it was a civil violation the courts called it an invasion of privacy. According to York, when the number of sexual harassment reports increased in 1985, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission decided to publish a set of guidelines that specified what sexual harassment was. The EEOC guidelines also illustrated how it was unlawful to practice in the workplace (York, 1989).

Sexual Harassment is when someone makes unwelcome sexual advances, displays verbal or physical conduct, and make requests for sexual favors. For example, when David …show more content…

National Supermarkets” (1997), Lisa Anne Varner filed a lawsuit against National Supermarkets for sexual harassment. She claims Robert Edmiston made several sexually graphic comments towards her and showed her pornography. Ms. Varner claims Robert approached her from behind and reached between her arms to squeeze her breast. After she broke free and ran, she called Chris Pilch who was her finance and another store employee. He called the store manager Curtis Mason and told him what had happened. Mr. Mason informed Pilch that he could not do anything until Ms. Varner tells him. A few months later, Mr. Edmiston approached Ms. Varner again with the same tactics but this time, he grabbed both of her breasts. Then he grabbed her thumbs and pulled her arms behind her back in between his legs and force her to touch his crotch. Ms. Varner broke free and ran out of the room into Patrick McCorkle and told him what had happened. She also called her mother and Pilch to tell them what had happened to. Pilch than called Mason and told him what Ms. Varner said. Mason then tells Pilch that Bob is just being himself but does not do anything. He did, however, tells Pilch to tell Ms. Varner to call the human resources department and tell Roger Beckman. Ms. Varner reported the sexual harassment to the police department. The police had Ms. Varner to call Mr. Edmiston and recorded him confessing to sexually assaulting her. The police then went to where Mr. Edmiston worked

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