Jokes do not need to be directed towards women in order to be sexist. Sexist jokes directed towards men can also be sexist and contribute towards a hostile workplace. Nor do the jokes need to be directed towards the person or even the gender of the person making the complaint. That's well established by the courts.

Quoting from the EEOC:

> Sexual harassment can occur in a variety of circumstances, including but not limited to the following:

* The victim as well as the harasser may be a woman or a man. The victim does not have to be of the opposite sex.

* The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, an agent of the employer, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or a non-employee.

* The victim does not have to be the person harassed but could be anyone affected by the offensive conduct.

* Unlawful sexual harassment may occur without economic injury to or discharge of the victim.

* The harasser's conduct must be unwelcome.

You may say that going after this situation is "extremely detrimental" to the overall cause, but you've switched different topic. escaped_hn asked where the abuse claim came from, not if the abuse claim was justifiable.

Let's see how this an organization's Harassment policy might handle this. I quote now from http://www.maine.gov/ag/about/harrassment_policy.html :

> Further examples of sexual harassment include: behavior that is verbal and sexual in nature - such as comments about a person's looks, personal inquiries, sexual jokes, use of derogatory sexual stereotypes, uttering sexually suggestive sounds, writing sexual notes, use of State computer equipment to send, receive and/or download material of a sexual nature; non-verbal sexual behavior- such as looking someone up and down, staring or leering at someone's body, deliberate blocking of a person's path, displaying sexual visuals, making sexual gestures; or physical - such as pinching, grabbing, sexual assault or any physical contact of a sexual nature.

> As a matter of State policy, any behavior of a sexual nature in the workplace is considered unprofessional regardless of whether it constitutes illegal sexual harassment. ... As part of their supervisory responsibilities, supervisors are required to actively prevent or stop inappropriate, unprofessional conduct in the workplace regardless of whether the conduct rises to the level of illegal harassment. If they become aware of any such conduct occurring through personal observation or information from another party, they must consult with the Office's EEO Coordinator and take immediate and appropriate corrective action, including discipline, to end the conduct. Corrective action is required regardless of whether a complaint is made or the conduct appears to be unwelcome. Even if the person providing information requests that no action be taken, the supervisor must contact the EEO Coordinator. Managers and supervisors who fail to fulfill their obligations under this policy will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including discharge.

This unambiguously says that a supervisor at the Maine AG's office must report any joke of a sexual nature, even if there's no complaint, no indication of if it's unwelcome, no indication that it's discriminatory, no thought that it's sexist, and even if there's a request that no action be taken.

So even if you don't think this is a sexist joke, the undeniable fact that it is a joke of a sexual nature means that it is and unprofessional and reportable behavior for some workplaces.