The law firm of Kaup & Shultz, Attorneys at Law, LC, is located in Johnson County and Douglas County (Overland Park and Lawrence). In addition, we can serve your needs by phone or through email, though at some point, there should be a face to face meeting whether you live in Wichita, Salina, Manhattan, Garden City, Goodland, Emporia or one of the other cities in Kansas. Even though you might be required to travel, it important for you that you find a Kansas lawyer is experienced in Kansas and federal employment rights, including sex discrimination and sexual harassment. |
| The Law of Sexual Harassment and Sexual Discrimination |
| Kaup & Shultz, Attorneys at Law, LC |
| Kaup & Shultz, Attorneys at Law, LC 87th and Antioch Overland Park, KS 913-385-9955 and 901 Kentucky Suite 305 Lawrence, KS 785-838-4300 email us |
| The information in these pages is intended for Kansas employees who are interested in sexual harassment law and hostile work environment. The information is intended for educational purposes only and is not intended to establish an attorney client relationship with any person. If you have an actual legal problem concerning sexual harassment, you should contact a competent Kansas employee rights attorney. |
Gender Animus:
One dictionary defines animus as "usually prejudiced and
often spiteful or malevolent ill will."
A lot of sexual harassment is based upon sexual desire,
both normal and sometimes twisted. Thus, sexual
harassment might take the form of a man hounding a
woman for a date, or insisting on a romantic relationship.
It also might take the form of a man trying to obtain sex for
the sake of sex. It is not uncommon for men to try to get
women to show their under clothing or to offer a peak at
what is under the under clothing. In one case, men at a
construction business positioned themselves in a tunnel
under a grate, and when women walked across the grate,
the men could see up their skirts or blouses.
In contrast to their situations where the sexual harassment
is based upon unwelcome romance or sexual misconduct,
it also can be based upon dislike for women. The man who
exposes himself to a woman might fall somewhere in
between the two categories being described, but the man
who berates women or treats them in a way that obviously
shows a dislike for women or, at least women in his work
place, is demonstrating animus.
This concept is important because a boss who is rude to
everyone, or even uses crude language to everyone in the
office, is probably not guilty of sexual harassment.
However, if the language he uses, even against everyone in
the office, indicates that he thinks that terms that relate to
women are offensive, then sexual harassment might be
present. For example, the supervisor who calls everyone a
bitch, or a whore, or uses the "c" word is creating an
environment in which women will feel ridiculed and
humiliated even if the same terms are spoken to men.
One dictionary defines animus as "usually prejudiced and
often spiteful or malevolent ill will."
A lot of sexual harassment is based upon sexual desire,
both normal and sometimes twisted. Thus, sexual
harassment might take the form of a man hounding a
woman for a date, or insisting on a romantic relationship.
It also might take the form of a man trying to obtain sex for
the sake of sex. It is not uncommon for men to try to get
women to show their under clothing or to offer a peak at
what is under the under clothing. In one case, men at a
construction business positioned themselves in a tunnel
under a grate, and when women walked across the grate,
the men could see up their skirts or blouses.
In contrast to their situations where the sexual harassment
is based upon unwelcome romance or sexual misconduct,
it also can be based upon dislike for women. The man who
exposes himself to a woman might fall somewhere in
between the two categories being described, but the man
who berates women or treats them in a way that obviously
shows a dislike for women or, at least women in his work
place, is demonstrating animus.
This concept is important because a boss who is rude to
everyone, or even uses crude language to everyone in the
office, is probably not guilty of sexual harassment.
However, if the language he uses, even against everyone in
the office, indicates that he thinks that terms that relate to
women are offensive, then sexual harassment might be
present. For example, the supervisor who calls everyone a
bitch, or a whore, or uses the "c" word is creating an
environment in which women will feel ridiculed and
humiliated even if the same terms are spoken to men.
By this point, you might think that sexual harassment is
as clear as the signs to the right. That is why the EEOC
has said that you must always look at the totality of
circumstances to determine if sexual harassment exists.
If you believe that you have experienced sexual
harassment, meaning the conduct was sexual in nature or
displayed gender animus, and was offensive and
unwelcome, then you should report if to the person who
handles such issues within the place where you work. If
there is no immediate solution, then you should contact
a lawyer who understands the employment laws and can
help you deal with whatever form of sexual harassment
exists.
You can click here to go to the page 4 of this section of
the website to learn about who can be liable for sexual
harassment.
as clear as the signs to the right. That is why the EEOC
has said that you must always look at the totality of
circumstances to determine if sexual harassment exists.
If you believe that you have experienced sexual
harassment, meaning the conduct was sexual in nature or
displayed gender animus, and was offensive and
unwelcome, then you should report if to the person who
handles such issues within the place where you work. If
there is no immediate solution, then you should contact
a lawyer who understands the employment laws and can
help you deal with whatever form of sexual harassment
exists.
You can click here to go to the page 4 of this section of
the website to learn about who can be liable for sexual
harassment.
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