Harassment is a method by which men protect their jobs, and their fragile egos, by tormenting women to keep construction sites heavily male. There is a second school of thought, one that sees some of the actions defined as sexual harassment as an inevitable, unchangeable feature of male behavior. You better be strong, these women say, and not need much guidance even if you are a first-year apprentice. If you need help, you will be vulnerable and subject to harassment, sexual and otherwise. Men, especially construction workers, are mean-spirited and eager to use emotional violence and physical intimidation to grind down weaker beings, some women claim.
Construction is a tough job.
It is demanding, dirty and often dangerous. So women, just like men, have to be tough to do the job. But the work doesn't have to be demeaning as well. To force a woman who already has to cope with stress and strain of a hard and often complicated job to have to run the gauntlet of harassment is uncalled for. It also is unlawful.