In stark contrast to Americans' absurdly prudish interpretation of sexual harassment (see Sexual Harassment: If they Like You its Called Flirting), a Russian judge recently ruled that sexual harassment was not only permissible, but indeed necessary in order to ensure the continuation of the human species!
The case was brought by a 22 year old executive who testified that she was locked out of the office after refusing to have sex with her 47 year old boss. "He always demanded that female workers signalled to him with their eyes that they desperately wanted to be laid on the boardroom table as soon as he gave the word," she told the court. "I didn't realise at first that he wasn't speaking metaphorically."
In a bold and brilliant example of contrarian rationale, the judge dismissed the case, not for lack of evidence, but because the boss' behavior was in fact a patriotic duty, rather than an illegal act. "If we had no sexual harassment we would have no children" the judge defiantley proclaimed.
Clearly, things work a little differently in Russia. In light of this case, and the reversal of Italy's infamous "tight jeans" defense to rape (stemming from a case in which an Italian court ruled that the defendant could not be guilty because the girls jeans were so tight there is no way he could have removed them without her consent - see http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24068240-38200,00.html) Russia has clearly established itself as the world's preeminent nation for boorish machismo.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/2470310/Sexual-harrassment-okay-as-it-ensures-humans-breed,-Russian-judge-rules.html
The case was brought by a 22 year old executive who testified that she was locked out of the office after refusing to have sex with her 47 year old boss. "He always demanded that female workers signalled to him with their eyes that they desperately wanted to be laid on the boardroom table as soon as he gave the word," she told the court. "I didn't realise at first that he wasn't speaking metaphorically."
In a bold and brilliant example of contrarian rationale, the judge dismissed the case, not for lack of evidence, but because the boss' behavior was in fact a patriotic duty, rather than an illegal act. "If we had no sexual harassment we would have no children" the judge defiantley proclaimed.
Clearly, things work a little differently in Russia. In light of this case, and the reversal of Italy's infamous "tight jeans" defense to rape (stemming from a case in which an Italian court ruled that the defendant could not be guilty because the girls jeans were so tight there is no way he could have removed them without her consent - see http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24068240-38200,00.html) Russia has clearly established itself as the world's preeminent nation for boorish machismo.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/2470310/Sexual-harrassment-okay-as-it-ensures-humans-breed,-Russian-judge-rules.html
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