[braveo]

> I've heard stories from several female founders/VC's (not naming names or specific details to protect anonymity) who have experienced repeated unwelcome advances even after it was made clear they had a significant other. That's not as egregious as groping (one of the accusations in this article), but that's still sexual harassment by the letter of the law and slimy as hell every other way.

While I don't know the details of what happened here, there's nothing wrong or illegal about approaching someone and I'm more than a little miffed that anyone would consider it necessary (or good) to make "unwelcome advances" illegal. Yes, even unwelcome advances to married women.

[sulam]

VCs have a position of power when dealing with entrepreneurs. It is never okay to flirt or proposition someone whom you have temporary or prolonged power over. This is well accepted in modern society.

Bosses, professors, doctors, interviewers and every other situation I can think of have a bright line where it's not okay to try and romantically or sexually engage someone when you're in a context that you have power over them, even if it is ephemeral. VCs are no different.

I'm not even going to try and address groping or other forms of harassment, which are wrong even when a power dynamic doesn't exist.

[fishtoaster]

I think the key word is "repeated." Approaching someone is allowed. Repeatedly approaching them after they tell you know is not.

[braveo]

that's still not sexual harassment, there are plenty of stories of men chasing women and eventually marrying them.

human sexuality isn't that cut and dried.

[kybernetikos]

I think you're talking about something different to the main thread here. Most people here are talking about a professional context where there is a significant power imbalance between the parties.

Context is important.

[braveo]

I was specifically responding to the claim that 'unwanted advances' could be considered sexual harassment under the law.

yes, technically you could consider rape to be an 'unwanted advance', but no reasonable person would ever characterize it as so. The very fact that it's characterized as an unwanted advance tells you it's not sexual harassment, it's just someone chasing another person.

[DanBC]

> The very fact that it's characterized as an unwanted advance

http://www.aauw.org/what-we-do/legal-resources/know-your-rig...

> Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Very generally, “sexual harassment” describes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.

Federal law appears to disagree with you.

[braveo]

no it doesn't.

[URSpider94]

Not taking no for an answer is sexual harassment, if it makes the person on the receiving end uncomfortable.

[qubex]

I'm very happy my fiancée didn't take ’no’ to be my definitive answer. You really can't reduce these things to binary operations.

[graphememes]

Unfortunately the majority of these individuals haven't actualized that things in life aren't completely binary and attempt to apply a binary algorithm to solve non-binary problems.

[qubex]

According to the accounts I have read (that have not been upheld in a court of law "beyond all reasonable doubt" or whatever the standard for these things is), this man was definitely in the wrong and had to be stopped. I applaud those women who selflessly put their names out there to stop him.

However, it seems to me, as a non-American, that the US is pretty hysterical on this topic. Humans make each other uncomfortable sometimes, some situations are inherently awkward, emotional anguish is inflicted on good people (I've had to fire a few... that's horrible on both sides of the desk)... there's no reason society should be ascribed the duty to guarantee that nobody ever finds themselves in situations they are not comfortable in.

As I mentioned, my partner pushed my boundaries a bit, but I'm doubleplusgood happy she did. In hindsight, my initial reticence was an error, and by persisting she allowed me the opportunity to correct that. Now our lives are significantly enhanced as a result. I don't see why such behaviour should be subject to censure. Did it make me uneasy? In a transitory way, yes. But it's part and parcel of existing in a social fabric.