Note that this thread is also about sexual harassment.
Also, to help the conversation regarding sexual assault, this is from the University of Michigan (which, straight out of the gate, has a really annoying "loose" error, argh, but it's the general stuff that's being used as educational material in colleges and universities these days).Types of Harassment: Quid Pro Quo and Hostile Work Environment
There are two different types of sexual harassment claims, although the manner in which a court will distinguish between the two for purposes of deciding whether harassment has occurred has become blurred in recent years:
Quid Pro Quo: Sexual harassment that occurs when a supervisor or one in an authority position requests sex, or a sexual relationship, in exchange for not firing or otherwise punishing the employee, or in exchange for favors, such as promotions or raises.
Hostile Work Environment: Sexual harassment that occurs through the presence of demeaning or sexual photographs, jokes or threats. The inappropriate behavior or conduct must be so pervasive as to, as the name implies, create an intimidating and offensive work environment.
Each state is different with regard to protections against sexual harassment. For example, Alabama allows for an employee to sue an employer for sexual harassment based on a theory of invasion of privacy. Vermont law, in comparison, requires every employer to adopt a policy against sexual harassment. Other states have no specific law prohibiting or punishing sexual harassment, and thus rely on federal law.
"How" to change it probably comes a lot from discussions, awareness, what constitutes harassment and assault, etc. ?
We all have "impulses" of some nature, most of them not even driven by any kind of hormones. (E.G. I have had an impulse, for YEARS, when I pass the pastries on the way out of the grocery store, to steal some pastries. I don't know why. I can just BUY the fucking things. But, I have never and will never ACT on that impulse. Probably because of the LAW and fear of CONSEQUENCES. In the case of HURTING people, we generally don't do that in society for the same reasons: fear of consequences, or the knowledge that it is "wrong," or empathy. Or all of the above.)
The idea that men can't control themselves is why lots of Islam and Orthodox Judaism and Christianity require women to cover themselves, dress modestly, cover their hair, etc., to not "tempt" men. So what's that saying about men? Rhetorically, of course. I'd like to think that men are capable of more than that, aren't just a bunch of stupid walking dangerous impulsive hormones and the women (or girls and boys) gotta hide.
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