[Mr. Anderson]

In a libertarian society, the government protects people from force. But what about sexual harassment?

Let us say that Mary wanted a promotion. Her boss, Bob, says she can get one if she sleeps with him. This is not an initiation of force, since Mary has a choice of whether or not to sleep with him. It could be comparable to Mary having to do a good job in order to get promoted. Mary is not forced to do a good job, but is merely encouraged to do a good job in order to advance.

Since this is not an initiation of force, will a libertarian government ignore cases of sexual harassment like this?

[Todd D.]

It is not the government's place to regulate the business practices, however seedy, of a private enterprise.

Mary, obviously feeling uncomfortable with such a situation, should inform the higher ups of the company about what is going on. If the boss in question is the highest, she should quit. I would also add that she should educate people to let them know exactly what a shithead the owner/boss/whatever is.

However, I do believe that employers have the right to hire and fire whoever they want for whatever reason they want. It's their business, and they should be able to decide who works there and who doesn't.

[Tim]

Can't mary also go to the courts?

surely the courts would protect her rights rather than the government?

(but, i guess the judge could rule in favour of her if she slept with him )

[Todd D.]

Which rights of Mary have been violated in this situation?

[Garibaldi]

The question is whether or not Harrassment should be illegal, and if so, what constitutes harrassment concerning sex.

[Noumenon]

Sexual harassment laws are a violation of the 1st amendment. People don't have the right to not be offended; if that were the case, we'd all be living in fear of being prosecuted for saying the wrong word (which sounds an awful lot like 1984). The government may now pass laws abridging freedom of speech and freedom of association, and thats exactly what Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 does. Creating a good work atmosphere is the job of individual companies, not the government. I have no problem with companies creating rules against sexual harassment, since if you don't like those rules you can go somewhere else. However, the government should not get involved, because doing so creates a dangerous precedent that it can abridge freedom of speech wherever it likes. It has already started in the workplace, whats next?

[Todd D.]

Completely agree. What would happen if we instituted the very same sexual harrassment laws that are currently in the workplace and enforced them in bars? Sexual Harrassment, by defenition, is any unwanted sexual advance. That means that any time you go up to a guy or a girl, you could be sued for sexual harrassment? No.

Besides, these laws are so extreme right now that it's downright laughable. If you stare at a woman at work for more than 9 seconds without conversation, that is legally sexual harrassment. I wish I was making that up, but it's true.

Don't get me wrong, I think that sexual harrassment is awful, and only a monkey would treat a woman like that, but as the artist formerly known as DTGuittarist said, it's the business's job to create a conductive workplace, not the government's.