Most Americans were shocked when Anita Hill charged U.S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas with sexual harassment. Not surprisingly, the nation was divided on the Senate hearings on the matter--some believed Hill, others, Thomas. Perhaps the most important result of the hearings was to open the eyes of a majority of the public to the issue of sexual harassment and to begin a dialog on the issue.
This work first defines sexual harassment, including operational, sociological and legal definitions, and then provides a history of the issue in the United States and a theoretical framework of why harassment occurs. This is followed by a look at the legal dimension of the problem, with a discussion of pertinent federal and state laws and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) decisions. The incidence and settings (e.g., workplace, housing, religious institutions) are next examined, followed by chapters on sexual harassment in the government, the military, and in education. The book concludes with discussions of strategies for the victims and for employers.