Sexual harassment/assault

The news is filled with accusations and denials about sexual assault by politicians and prominent people.   I can’t help but wonder how many of these accusations are politically motivated, how many are real and how many are simply seeking monetary compensation.  Are the accusations from long-past incidents now being brought to light, encouraged by the actions of others, or is there some other motivation? 
A hypothetical question:  If a young fan of Elvis or one of the Beetles was groped by one of them, would she brag about it, be offended by it or keep it as a fond memory?  
People in positions of power or authority are often preyed upon by people seeking advancement.  Resisting temptation can be difficult.  By the same token, preying upon someone who is vulnerable, is abhorrent.  Attraction by the opposite sex is natural.  How people conduct themselves has much to do with society and its norms.  We expect our leaders to be above reproach.  We tend to forget that they are human and place them on a pedestal.  We also tend to forget that people make mistakes.  Admitting a mistake is rare, but is an attribute worthy of forgiveness.
This blurb is not intended to excuse or justify the actions of politicians past or present, but rather to see things as they are in today’s world.

In the UK, it has become intolerable for young women to go out socialising in pubs and clubs. Men assume the right to grab women inappropriately as they pass to go to the bar or the bathroom. Girls hate it. It's demeaning. If the present accusations help to stop men from assuming this right, then some good will have come out of the accusations.

As to the reasons behind some of the accusations, without eye witnesses and for a one-off incident of sexual harrassment, it's difficult to see how this can be seen as a criminal offence worthy of a court case, even if it's socially unacceptable. America is a litigious society, so maybe that's one explanation.

11/19

         Example in Hollywood it was and is a known fact the Casting Couch ! It goes back to the 1920's, as far as political sex attacks go, yes their just as bad as Hollywood, politicians think they can get 
away with anything and they think their above the law.....

                                                     Cheers.......... Joe......

I can understand your point, Shelagh.  It is becoming a problem in a variety of ways.  Knowing what is or is not appropriate may soon require definition.  I’m now considered an “old man.  Fortunately, or unfortunately, I retain old views and habits.  Sexual attraction has more to do with attraction than sex.  I have the unconscious habit of touching females on the shoulder or arm when talking with them.   I’ve noticed that some pull away and it now requires a conscious effort not to do this.  Old habits are difficult to change.  Shaking hands is customary in most cultures, however the manner varies.  With some, taking the hand of the female before the male, is customary.  That too varies where one shakes the hand of the female only if she offers it to be shaken.  Then there is the custom of kissing the cheek of a person, usually on both cheeks.  There is seldom a kiss involved, but rather the touching of cheeks.  That custom is also common among men in some cultures-seldom on a first meeting.
I recall watching my father shaking hands and then slapping (patting) the person on the back -  indicating a close friendship.  The actions of Trump on his foreign visits has brought attention to diplomacy and protocol.  Either he was not advised of proper protocol or he simply chose to ignore it.  A person is judged by their actions, both positive and negative
I believe that the term “sexual harassment” requires more definition.  I can relate an example of my son who chose to move to Germany from California stating that if you looked at a girl cross-eyed in the States you would be accused of sexual harassment.  It was an exaggeration, but the point was well-taken and may have something to do with the fact that he is still single.  I notice how uncomfortable he is around single women, yet he is his old self when in the company of married women. They love him for his humor and the attention he gives them.  Courting takes many forms combining words and actions.  Reaction from the opposite sex determines if the advances are welcome or not.  Have women become over-sensitive to attention?  Why do women dress in an attractive manner if not to look appealing?  I have more questions than answers and the answers I concoct are old-fashioned.  How or where do young people get instructions on courting?  Are human instincts a thing of the past?

The law is sometimes used inappropriately. I have read little about the numerous sexual harrassment charges against Donald Trump, but the women seem to be claiming that they were intimately touched or kissed. Hardly surprising that they are claiming that he did something that they have the president admitting to on record. As legal evidence, though, it hinders rather than helps their case. The president said that women allow you to do anything. Those were his words. He said quite clearly that women allow celebrities to touch and kiss them. He also spoke about wanting to make a move on a married woman who rejected him. So what did he do? He took her shopping for furniture. Hardly forcing himself onto a woman who said no. Whatever they claim, the evidence suggests that the president shows restraint with women who say no. That's all the courts need to know. I would be surprised if the cases proceed, but who knows?

Watching CNN this morning, the panel of reporters were discussing the current accusations and denials of politicians about sexual harassment.  It seemed like a contest between Democrats and Republicans as to which party are the worst offenders.  It opened a discussion between my wife and I about experiences in our younger days.  She related stories about her bosses and how she handled the situations and that led to other experiences, including travel.  She recalls trips to Italy with her girlfriends and the tendency of Italian men to pinch a woman’s butt or even her breast.  It was not looked upon as inappropriate, but rather a known trait of Italian men. The girls would get together at the end of the day relating their experiences.   For the most part, they found it amusing accepting it as the norm.  
We are once again seeing the pendulum swing from one extreme to another.  Either we are too conservative or too liberal in our views.  IMV, what is appropriate depends on the individual and the culture.  In Germany, with the influx of migrants, German  girls have been assaulted requiring the police to get involved.  What may have been a norm in the migrant’s country of origin is not acceptable in the society in which they are now living.  Nothing happens unless a complaint is registered.  The complaint should be registered immediately and not at some future date.