US Clarence Thomas, the groper

[Mischief]

For those of us old enough to remember Anita Hill's testimony, this comes as no surprise:

Alaska lawyer says Justice Clarence Thomas groped her at a party in 1999, according to report

 

[Joe]

For those of us old enough to remember Anita Hill's testimony, this comes as no surprise:

Alaska lawyer says Justice Clarence Thomas groped her at a party in 1999, according to report

It does come as a surprise to me to the extent that groping/physically molesting someone is a lot more seriously offensive behavior than verbal and psychological sexual harassment, such as Anita Hill experienced, in my opinion. "Groping" may also be a crime--a form of assault.

 

[Mischief]

It does come as a surprise to me to the extent that groping/physically molesting someone is a lot more seriously offensive behavior than verbal and psychological sexual harassment, such as Anita Hill experienced, in my opinion. "Groping" may also be a crime--a form of assault.

IME, the two - groping and verbal sexual harassment - almost always go hand in hand when perpetrated by someone known to the victim (as opposed to strangers catcalling on the street, for example). I'm not saying that someone who sexually harasses one woman verbally will necessarily grope that particular woman, but he will grope other women, if the opportunity arises.

For example, the senior partner in an office in which I worked in the late 80's to early 90's would make comments like this to the receptionist: "You look nice in that dress, but you'd look even better out of it." To my knowledge, he never groped her, probably because the opportunity never arose. However, young female professionals, upon being hired, were warned by the other women in the office to always come up with an excuse to drive separately from him when attending a meeting outside the office. (Otherwise, his hands would be all over their thighs in the car.) That's kind of the typical pattern, IME.

 

[Joe]

Tippi Hedren claims that Alfred Hitchcock groped her.

Tippi Hedren claims Alfred Hitchcock sexually assaulted her - BBC News

 

[MadamSarcastra]

Tippi Hedren claims that Alfred Hitchcock groped her.

Tippi Hedren claims Alfred Hitchcock sexually assaulted her - BBC News

Well, if the film Hitchcock (own it, love it) bore any truth, Hitch was definitely a creepy peeper, so anything is possible.

Hitchcock (2012) - IMDb

I can lose respect for the man without ever losing admiration for his film-making, though. Weird.

 

[Joe]

I can lose respect for the man without ever losing admiration for his film-making, though. Weird.

That's sort of how I feel about Woody Allen.

 

[MadamSarcastra]

That's sort of how I feel about Woody Allen.

And Michael Jackson, music-wise.... Ain't life strange?

 

[Mischief]

Tippi Hedren claims that Alfred Hitchcock groped her.

Tippi Hedren claims Alfred Hitchcock sexually assaulted her - BBC News

I think I've read some stuff years ago about his behavior with young actresses. Unfortunately, it seemed to be almost the norm in Hollywood in those days, and I'm sure a lot of it still goes on.

What I suspect that a lot of people don't fully realize is how devastating it can be for a young woman's career to make a formal complaint or otherwise "go public." Even if she is believed, she's branded "a troublemaker", her opportunities in her current job will become nil, and she will have great difficulty finding other employment.