It is not sexual harassment. A friend of mine recently argued that sexual harassment only occurs in male-dominated fields. But when pressed to name a female-dominated field, she could not. Sexual harassers are as comfortable at a construction site as they are in a diner, hospital or office. Sexual harassment is more frequent when women enter traditionally male fields, but it occurs in every occupation.
Sexual harassment is about keeping women in their place by creating a hostile environment.
It is a turf war where the winner gets the high-paying jobs and the power. When a work site moves toward gender equity, sexual harassment reminds women not to get too uppity. Society may be shocked, but we are not. This article appeared in the NOW Times . We should be more shocked when a servicewoman tells us she hasn't been sexually abused than when she says she has.