Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyer Blog

A recent case out of Washington D.C. shows us that sexual harassment in Los Angeles is not simply a problem at work.

While most of the cases stem from some kind of situation with an employee who is harassed by a co-worker or supervisor, this isn't the only place it can happen. Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyers recognize that sexual harassment is sometimes as much about power as it is sex.

There are people in power who have influence over others' lives, not only at work, but also in government, private businesses or in consumer settings. Workplace harassment perhaps is most common because people are working together on a daily basis and supervisors hold power over the training, promotions, assignments and other facets of a worker's life.

In this case, women's groups in Washington D.C. are fighting back against sexual harassment on the District's subway system. They say that sexual harassment is happening on buses and trains. They say that women have been harassed by other passengers and workers did nothing to stop it. In some situations, the employees themselves were doing the harassing.

Women reported being groped by strangers and reporting it to employees, who laughed off the allegations. A local group created a website that began to document incidents of sexual harassment on the public transportation lines.

Advocates are now asking for more training for employees, a public service campaign to try to stop it and a better database to record instances of sexual harassment. Groups recently testified before city council to try to address the issue.

Metro leaders have said most of their training deals with employee-to-employee issues. Leaders said that people simply giving leering looks isn't a violation of law and comments about a person's looks aren't arrestable offenses. Still, they encourage people to report these things to transit workers.

Some advocates believe that there is a difference between flirting and harassment and that can lead to a person feeling uncomfortable if the advances are continuous. That's when workers should be called on to step in.

Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyers believe that businesses and government entities should be held liable for these types of situations. Sexual harassment can make a person feel unsafe. When it's in a public transportation station, they can feel even more uncomfortable and vulnerable. There should be protections to stop this type of behavior.

Being a victim of sexual harassment can lead to emotional turmoil on top of the issues of feeling victimized and violated. In a workplace, it can cause lead to a major life disruption if a person must now consider finding new employment. In public, it can lead to a sense of mistrust and frustration. This type of situation is inappropriate and unlawful. These victims require strong legal representation at every stage to try to right these wrongs.