Russian Judge Rules Sexual Harassment Is Okay As It Ensures Survival Of Human Race

A woman seeking to become only the third woman ever to successfully bring a sexual harassment case in Russia was dealt a shocking rebuke when the judge threw out her case, ruling that sexual harassment is actually necessary for the survival of the human race:

She alleged she had been locked out of her office after she refused to have intimate relations with her 47-year-old boss.

"He always demanded that female workers signalled to him with their eyes that they desperately wanted to be laid on the boardroom table as soon as he gave the word," she earlier told the court. "I didn't realise at first that he wasn't speaking metaphorically."

The judge said he threw out the case not through lack of evidence but because the employer had acted gallantly rather than criminally.

"If we had no sexual harassment we would have no children," the judge ruled.

Foreign Policy's blog notes that while Russia has made it a major priority to reverse the nation's population decline, this is perhaps not the best way to go about it, considering how dismal working conditions are for Russian women already:

According to a recent survey, 100 percent of female professionals said they had been subjected to sexual harassment by their bosses, 32 percent said they had had intercourse with them at least once and another seven percent claimed to have been raped.

Comments

[lovewomen]

Perhaps, sexual harassment, along with other forms of woman hatred such as job discrimination, wage discrimination, rape, islamo-judeo-christian single, misogynist father god religions (women, boycott, and take your children with you), sex as original sin instead of rape, patriarchy, male circumcision, female genital mutilation, domestic violence, men in politics, and housework, instead of loving women, is the cause of the decline in population.

Sexism and violence come from birth trauma - fear of death in the birth process projected onto women and their genitalia and acting like a survival instinct. Deep breathing accesses the subconscious (the Kingdom of Heaven, which is within) where the memories are stored and conscious identification deactivates them. "Ye must be born again in water and spirit." "Spiritus" is Latin for "breath". Promote deep breathing for all, starting at puberty, and now for those older. Keep a journal. Read The Trauma of Birth by Otto Rank, Rebirthing in the New Age by Leonard Orr, and Stanislav Grof about holotropic breathing on the internet.

"When we worshiped the Queen of Heaven, we saw no evil. But since we left off burning incense and pouring out drink offerings unto Her, we have been consumed by famine and sword." Jeremiah 44:17-18. Teach religion and history from The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets by Barbara Walker. Read geocities.com/alabasters_archive/real_case on the origin of Christianity.

[PixStar]

Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics

I'm no fan of sexual harassment, especially as a survivor of sexual assault myself, and certainly the status of working women in Russia and many former CIS states is dismal. Beyond that, the ruling in this case is certainly benighted and hard to comprehend.

HOWEVER, the fact of the matter is not one of: The Telegraph in its original piece, Foreign Policy's Blog, or The Huffington Post, actually cite the alleged survey that, among other supposed findings, reported: "..100 percent of female professionals said they had been subjected to sexual harassment by their bosses..."

As an old political science hand, I was shocked to find a survey actually citing a "100% of respondents" figure for anything, especially with no notes on survey sample size, or margin of error. Such a citation should be a red flag for any serious student of politics and/or public policy. You can't get 100% of respondents to even properly fill in a written survey.

So, I went out and did some research of my own. While I couldn't find this alleged survey citted by The Telegraph, I did find a pair of surveys reported at the Stop Violence Against Women website http://www.stopvaw.org/ that seem to clearly contradict the Telegraph's cited survey... (cont'd)

[PixStar]

(Continued from above...)

To quote from that site:
"In surveys conducted in Belarus and the Rostov region of Russia, 12.6% and 60% of women, respectively, reported that they had been subjected to sexual harassment. From The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, Women 2000: An Investigation into the Status of Women's Rights in Central and South-Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States 78, 383 (2000)" http://www.stopvaw.org/Prevalence_of_Sexual_Harassment.html
Those figures, particularly from a respected United Nations study, would seem to make a 100% figure highly implausible, if not wholly statistically impossible.

Continuing from the same SVAW site :
"One researcher has noted that in Russia, more than half of men and most women believe that a woman who protests or resists sexual harassment in the workplace risks losing her job or suffering other retaliatory measures such as a reduction in salary, and may be unable to pursue a professional career.

[PixStar]

( continued from above)

OK, that sounds horrible and neanderthal, of course. But, note that same site also says about the United States:
"It is believed that at least one-third of women in the United States experience some form of sexual harassment. In studies of sexual harassment in American companies, psychologist, Louise Fitzgerald, PhD, discovered that 40 to 60 percent of women in these companies experienced some form of harassing behavior. These studies, based on responses to Fitzgerald's renowned Sexual Experiences Questionnaire, have been used extensively in the most important sexual harassment litigation in the United States.”

Given: The Telegraph as the original source, an apocryphal or methodologically unsound study cited by The Telegraph, and the well-nigh unbelievable figures reported, I have no other rational choice than to deem the original article that ignited this firestorm, more a case of simple Russian bashing than honest reportage and hard-hitting social commentary.

I'm no fan of the direction of current Russian government, and obviously support the struggle against sexual harassment anywhere, but I also find it repugnant to engage in this kind of hate-mongering and yellow journalism.

[politicky]

Americans in the Gulag
Chained ghosts
Aug 7th 2008
From The Economist print edition

http://www.economist.com/books/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11880197

[PixStar]

To quote from that site: "surveys conducted in Belarus and the Rostov region of Russia, 12.6% and 60% of women, respectively, reported that they had been subjected to sexual harassment. From The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, Women 2000: An Investigation into the Status of Women's Rights in Central and South-Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States 78, 383 (2000)" http://www.stopvaw.org/Prevalence_of_Sexual_Harassment.html

Those figures, particularly from a United Nations study, would seem to make a 100% figure statistically impossible.

Continuing from the SVAW site: "One researcher has noted that in Russia, more than half of men and most women believe that a woman who protests or resists sexual harassment in the workplace risks losing her job or suffering other retaliatory measures such as a reduction in salary, and may be unable to pursue a professional career."

OK, that sounds horrible and neanderthal, of course. But, note that it also says about the United States: "It is believed that at least one-third of women in the United States experience some form of sexual harassment. In studies of sexual harassment in American companies, psychologist, Louise Fitzgerald, PhD, discovered that 40 to 60 percent of women in these companies experienced some form of harassing behavior. These studies, based on responses to Fitzgerald's renowned Sexual Experiences Questionnaire, have been used extensively in the most important sexual harassment litigation in the United States."

[bannorhill]

Why do we condemn the judge when we had a President who did the same thing to Monica, Jessica, and others? Why are the same ones who condemn the judge now and yet were willing to overlook the same from Clinton? Is it because Clinton was a liberal Democrat?

[ladyfractal]

Bannor:

The difference is this: Bill Clinton was not setting legal precedent, this judge is. IF you READ the article, instead of having a knee-jerk reaction then you would realize that the article was about the *ruling* NOT the action. The judge was not the defendant in the cause of action, he was simply the judge.

"The judge said he threw out the case not through lack of evidence but because the employer had acted gallantly rather than criminally.

"If we had no sexual harassment we would have no children," the judge ruled. "

Now, I realize that you may agree with this judge but there are those of us, who believe that we women *are*, in point of fact, full human beings with agency, that are horrified at the ideology behind the decision. Strange concept, I know, but none-the-less true for all its strangeness to you.

Cheers
LF

[bannorhill]

Bill Clinton did set a legal precedent. He showed us that federal laws that apply to any government employ in a supervisory position did not apply to the President. He showed us testifying under oath and purjury laws don't apply to a Democrat President.

After seeing the "ruling" of the Senate during impeachment the court (Senate) made the same ruling as the Russian judge.

He showed us sexual harassment is OK if you are the President.

[bannorhill]

For the record I totally disagree with the Judge. Inappropriate sexual actions should NEVER be tolerated by coworkers, supervisors, or Presidents.

Bill Clinton set women's rights in the workplace back 20 years. When we say "that's boys being boys" we encourage the actions. For millions of men in the US, Bill Clinton serves as an example that sexual harassment is OK. For me he is an example of a sleazy tomcat who thinks the law does not apply to him.

[mrblifil]

Jesus, what a backwards country. I hope that woman fights on, in the face of persistent resistance and calumny.

Having said as much, it would be disingenuous for me not to admit however that, all things considered, I would definitely hit that.

[bannorhill]

Bill Clinton can now relax. One of his liberal appointed judges will cite this ruling to let him off for his actions.

Now if only Hillary would be so understanding!

[Mustang Sally]

That was just plain silly.

[mrblifil]

Ummm....it's 2008. Continuing to obsess about Bill Clinton's willie is bad for your health, and I'm pretty much certain that it isn't doing anything to get you dates.

[bannorhill]

I don't worry about dates. I am married and keep the promises I made.

[ladyfractal]

bannor:

Out of sheer curiosity, why do you believe that a decision made in a Russian court would be cited as precedent in an *American* court? Please detail your legal reasoning.

Cheers
LF

[bannorhill]

Justice Stevens used foreign court rulings to support his written Supreme Court opinion in Roper vs Simmons. There have also been other opinions written that cite foreign court rulings to justify the Justice's arguments.

[Mykel]

Men who do this are cowards who cannot win a woman's affection and devotion on their own merits, so they try to do it by brute force.

Those who do so ultimately hate women.

They would do well to remember, however, the fate of one John Wayne Bobbitt.

[Moshe]

What is happening in Russia is not unique to Russia.

Instead, what you are seeing is the unrestrained dark-side of human nature.

This is what happens in the absence of the Rule of Law.

Americans may want to reconsider their current careless attitude toward the Rule of Law, because once it's gone, it is painfully difficult or impossible to reestablish.

In any civilized society, it goes without saying that women shouldn't have to have intercourse with their bosses just to keep their jobs.

But when the boss makes the rules, and the laws no longer matter, that's what happens, and worse.

This is revolting. Which is why our anscesters fought and died to establish a government based on the Rule of Law and not just the rule of power.

The minute you stop fighting the evil abuse of power, however, it always raises it's vile head with a vengence.

Evil people do whatever they can get away with.

The Rule of Law and certain consequences are necessary to let them know they can't get away with it.

[Smirk]

Agreed.

[Dramaticlookcat]

Most of my relatives escaped from that cesspool during the revolution (except the ones who were killed -- for example, my grandfather's 11 brothers and sisters and his parents). I still pay close attention to Russia, however, and it never ceases to amaze me. What a sad, pathetic country.

[escapee]

Wonder how this judge feels about rape? That not only ensures human race survival, it demands it!!

[ndem]

My experience of Russian women friends or so called friends is that they are so used to being treated like prostitutes that they think it is normal to use sex to get what they want and bosses expect this kind of behavior. Thank God my dasughter is not living there nor myself...

[chendri887]

That is the exactly the problem. It is a vicious cycle, a power cycle, and it was a driving factor in the ancient world. Economic opportunity and equality for all people is one way of escaping this cycle. Embracing a value system that honors people's choices as their own to make is another way. It all starts in childhood though. Abusive parents, abusive life. So it goes in much of the world.

[CanadianAmerican]

Russia is a joke.

[latif]

isnt it astonishing that people with that sort of mindset can occupy the high post and pass judgement to make mockery of commonsense?

[Mustang Sally]

Sadly, no. It's power.

[gevan]

And I thought that to ehsure the survival of the Russian race the sexual exploitation of thirteen year old females was necessary.

[chendri887]

Ah, yes, the conservative, patriarchal values that still dominate "the world." The more a country reacts to what it defines as "the west," and to modernism, the more pervasive these values are. How utterly depressing that some twisted mixed up sense of cultural or jingoistic pride gets in the way of people realizing true dignity, equality and happiness. The whole patron-client, shame-humiliation thing that ruled the ancient world is still so with us.