4 ms·

Or a crime has happened. It's not uncommon for the accused to step down, or step away, while an issue is being investigated.

by rmc 14y ago

tinok 14y ago
That's my point exactly. In theory, even an unpaid intern has the power to bring down top-level executives by simply walking into a police precinct. For a competitor, it's a better and far quicker strategy than competing on product features.
- danilocampos 14y ago
  That's not remotely what happened here, according to Rabois.
- rmc 14y ago
  The biggest problem with sexual harassment is not that police over over zealous with prosecuting, but that they don't prosecute enough. just look at the stats for the amount of rapes which don't go to court.
- king_jester 14y ago
  This isn't even remotely true, most sexual assault cases result in no arrest or prosecution. Even in significant cases where a person of power commits sexual assault, they are likely to win their case -- the Diallo case comes to mind: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_v._Strauss-Kahn http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_v._Strauss-Kahn
Alex3917 14y ago
For what it's worth, sexual harassment is not a crime.
- bdcravens 14y ago
  Sexual harassment tends to be civil. In most cases where some sort of sexual-related crime has occurred, there pretty much a guarantee that harassment occurred as well (think physical contact or labor-related crime such as extortion) though harassment can occur without a crime (unwanted verbal advances or comments leading to hostile work environment)
- protomyth 14y ago
  Yep, it is. It is generally charged as criminal stalking, attempted assault or assault, and criminal sexual conduct.
  - obstacle1 14y ago
    Not to be pedantic, but in those cases criminal stalking, (attempted) assault, and criminal sexual conduct are the crimes, not sexual harassment.
    - protomyth 14y ago
      go read the descriptions of each of those in your state's criminal code and see the phrase "sexual harassment" used multiple times.
      - Alex3917 14y ago
        Under the normal US definition, the only things that are workplace sexual harassment are quid pro quo and hostile work environment. IANAL, but I believe that while sexual assault can be used as evidence of a hostile work environment, I don't think that sexual assault is itself a criminal form of sexual harassment.
- GiraffeNecktie 14y ago
  It can be. "Sexual harassment" is kind of a broad term that could include just about anything.
  - rmc 14y ago
    no it doesn't. eating a sandwich is not sexual harassment under any law. sexual harassment is is a defined law. this is a dismissing tactic to imply that sexual harassment is some sort of pseudo law that isn't fair, with often the implication that it's a giant conspiracy to allow women and evil feminists to screw over men. sexual harassment is a crime. it's a real crime. tech has a sexism problem.
    - homosaur 14y ago
      except since this case since it involves two men, I don't exactly know what sexism has anything to do with anything
      - danilocampos 14y ago
        As sexual harassment cases have typically been matters between men and women, sexism can easily color perceptions of the problem.
        homosaur 14y ago
        mmmm, that is a good point, but it seemed like OP was trying to make this another "women in tech" thing, which in this case it was not.
      - king_jester 14y ago
        While in this case there's not really enough information to make any kind of judgement, I feel it is important to point out that sexism can occur between people of the same gender and sexism is not strictly relegated the realm of how one gender is treated by another.
    - GiraffeNecktie 14y ago
- rmc 14y ago
  eh? I'm pretty sure sexual harassment is an actual crime.
- ahoyhere 14y ago
  As others say, it varies by state, but sexual blackmailing (e.g. "screw me or lose your job") and unwanted sexual touching are illegal just about everywhere.

Or a crime has happened. It's not uncommon for the accused to step down, or step away, while an issue is being investigated.

by rmc 14y ago

Or a crime has happened. It's not uncommon for the accused to step down, or step away, while an issue is being investigated.

tinok 14y ago

That's my point exactly. In theory, even an unpaid intern has the power to bring down top-level executives by simply walking into a police precinct. For a competitor, it's a better and far quicker strategy than competing on product features.

danilocampos 14y ago
That's not remotely what happened here, according to Rabois.
rmc 14y ago
The biggest problem with sexual harassment is not that police over over zealous with prosecuting, but that they don't prosecute enough. just look at the stats for the amount of rapes which don't go to court.
king_jester 14y ago
This isn't even remotely true, most sexual assault cases result in no arrest or prosecution. Even in significant cases where a person of power commits sexual assault, they are likely to win their case -- the Diallo case comes to mind: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_v._Strauss-Kahn http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_v._Strauss-Kahn

Alex3917 14y ago

For what it's worth, sexual harassment is not a crime.

bdcravens 14y ago
Sexual harassment tends to be civil. In most cases where some sort of sexual-related crime has occurred, there pretty much a guarantee that harassment occurred as well (think physical contact or labor-related crime such as extortion) though harassment can occur without a crime (unwanted verbal advances or comments leading to hostile work environment)
protomyth 14y ago
Yep, it is. It is generally charged as criminal stalking, attempted assault or assault, and criminal sexual conduct.
- obstacle1 14y ago
  Not to be pedantic, but in those cases criminal stalking, (attempted) assault, and criminal sexual conduct are the crimes, not sexual harassment.
  - protomyth 14y ago
    go read the descriptions of each of those in your state's criminal code and see the phrase "sexual harassment" used multiple times.
    - Alex3917 14y ago
      Under the normal US definition, the only things that are workplace sexual harassment are quid pro quo and hostile work environment. IANAL, but I believe that while sexual assault can be used as evidence of a hostile work environment, I don't think that sexual assault is itself a criminal form of sexual harassment.
GiraffeNecktie 14y ago
It can be. "Sexual harassment" is kind of a broad term that could include just about anything.
- rmc 14y ago
  no it doesn't. eating a sandwich is not sexual harassment under any law. sexual harassment is is a defined law. this is a dismissing tactic to imply that sexual harassment is some sort of pseudo law that isn't fair, with often the implication that it's a giant conspiracy to allow women and evil feminists to screw over men. sexual harassment is a crime. it's a real crime. tech has a sexism problem.
  - homosaur 14y ago
    except since this case since it involves two men, I don't exactly know what sexism has anything to do with anything
    - danilocampos 14y ago
      As sexual harassment cases have typically been matters between men and women, sexism can easily color perceptions of the problem.
      - homosaur 14y ago
        mmmm, that is a good point, but it seemed like OP was trying to make this another "women in tech" thing, which in this case it was not.
    - king_jester 14y ago
      While in this case there's not really enough information to make any kind of judgement, I feel it is important to point out that sexism can occur between people of the same gender and sexism is not strictly relegated the realm of how one gender is treated by another.
  - GiraffeNecktie 14y ago
rmc 14y ago
eh? I'm pretty sure sexual harassment is an actual crime.
ahoyhere 14y ago
As others say, it varies by state, but sexual blackmailing (e.g. "screw me or lose your job") and unwanted sexual touching are illegal just about everywhere.