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Loading ...Gay Man Awarded $90,000 in sex harassment case
02.20.2009 2:37pm EST
(London) A British labor tribunal has awarded £62,500, about $90,000 US, to a gay man who claimed he was the victim of sexual harassment because a female co-worker jiggled her breasts at him.
Allwyn Rondeau, 47, a security guard at London’s Heathrow Airport, went to the tribunal claiming fellow worker Lucy Chilton, then 42, had repeatedly made sexual advances to him.When told he was gay, the tribunal heard, Chilton placed his hand on her breast, then told him he “wouldn’t know what to do with a woman anyway.” Nevertheless, he testified that the advances continued.
When he repeatedly turned her down, he said, Chilton falsely accused him of inappropriate sexual behavior.
Rondeau said that after Chilton made the claim to supervisors he was stripped of his pass, suspended, and escorted out of the terminal.
Chilton’s claims were later found to be untrue, but she was not disciplined. No action was taken on Rondeau’s complaint that he was the one who had been the victim of inappropriate behavior.
The tribunal heard that Rondeau sank into a deep depression, is on medication and barely leaves his bedroom.
Following the tribunal’s ruling, Rondeau said he was pleased with the outcome “but it but it wasn’t the money that was important.”
“It was justice that I wanted, against her and the management, for what I have been through every day for the past two years,” he said. “I’m happy but I’m still angry because I know she has not been touched.”
>While this is an important step, I wonder if something similar would ever happen in the US.
A straight man in Massachusetts won a sexual harrassment claim against his straight coworkers for taunting him with gay jokes and physical touching. I know this case is not identical to the one described in the article, but it’s operating off the same principle that we all deserve to work without being subjected to sexual harassment, regardless of the genders or orientations involved in or being expressed in the harassment. Harassment is wrong, period.
Harassment can come in some very subtle and difficult to prove forms, so I’m glad that this case had its day in court, and the message was unambiguous.
A few years ago I worked for a large bio company in the Bay Area. I was the only gay man in my work crew and little by little I was shunned and isolated, until I finally left. It was real subtle; not talking to me, not sharing information, not sitting with me during breaks, etc.
This is history, but I would urge lesbians and gay men who think that something is afoot to speak up. I should have, and now I’m annoyed at myself for not having done it.
What is with this? Gay man gets 90K for harassment…. but in Liverpool a gay murderer gets off????
While this is an important step, I wonder if something similar would ever happen in the US. I sincerely doubt that it would be. There also is a double standard here that has me a bit nervous (for both Heterosexual & Homosexual people) I am extremely troubled that the person was believed to be guilty before any real proof was offered. I would have expected that management would have to come up with a witness to her claims (or at least a tape/vid) of it happening before essentially finding him guilty. While I think I “get it” there still needs to be some demonstrate-able truth to her allegation. It doesn’t have to be 100 percent it should not be just one person doing the claiming. Now I can see this as a reasonable course of action if there was some evidence of the occurrence(s). The victims side should be listened to do not get me wrong but before any real action there should be collaboration of some sort.
I also would have sued the employer as both parties are guilty in some measure. Maybe the law is different in England about suing the employer (I do not know) I am not an expert in English law.
This is truly good news. In the US, we have title lX and title Vll that addresses the same problem. Title lX was found, by the Office for Civil Rights, in 1997, that a student or employee are not without protection from sexual harassment, discrimination and or retaliation based upon complaint status. I have not understood why more do not utilize this process which would put more pressure on the justice dept and congress to pass/enforce crystal clear civil rights legislation. Until that day, everyone should push to use what is available and blast bias.