Studies in Law and Politics
David A. Schultz
General Editor
Vol. 6
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PETER LANG
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Mary Welek Atwell
Sexual Harassment in the
United States
Analyzing the Hostile Environment
PETER LANG
New York • Bern • Berlin
Brussels • Vienna • Oxford • Warsaw
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Atwell, Mary Welek, author.
Title: Sexual harassment in the United States: analyzing the hostile
environment / Mary Welek Atwell.
Description: New York: Peter Lang, 2020.
Series: Studies in law and politics; vol. 6 | ISSN 1083-3366
Includes bibliographical references.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019033701 | ISBN 978-1-4331-5605-2 (hardback: alk. paper)
ISBN 978-1-4331-5606-9 (ebook pdf) | ISBN 978-1-4331-5607-6 (epub)
ISBN 978-1-4331-5608-3 (mobi)
Subjects: LCSH: Sexual harassment—United States. | Sexual harassment—Law
and legislation—United States | Sexual harassment—Social
aspects—United States.
Classification: LCC HD6060.3 .A89 | DDC 305.420973—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019033701
DOI 10.3726/b13446
Bibliographic information published by Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek.
Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the “Deutsche
Nationalbibliografie”; detailed bibliographic data are available
on the Internet at http://dnb.d-nb.de/.
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All rights reserved.
Reprint or reproduction, even partially, in all forms such as microfilm,
xerography, microfiche, microcard, and offset strictly prohibited.
For my grandchildren
with the (forlorn) hope that they will see the end of sexual
harassment in their lifetimes
About the author
Mary Welek Atwell is Professor Emerita of Criminal Justice at Radford University in Virginia. She holds a PhD from Saint Louis University and is the author of four other books.
About the book
This work traces the historical and legal developments surrounding the public awareness of sexual harassment in the United States. The book looks at the issue from a theoretical perspective, analyzes relevant Supreme Court decisions, and discusses the reactions to the testimony of Anita Hill. It further examines sexual harassment in academic settings and the special issues that relate to sexual misconduct in the military. After considering the nexus between sexual harassment and politics, the book concludes with thoughts on the lasting impact of the #MeToo movement.
This eBook can be cited
This edition of the eBook can be cited. To enable this we have marked the start and end of a page. In cases where a word straddles a page break, the marker is placed inside the word at exactly the same position as in the physical book. This means that occasionally a word might be bifurcated by this marker.
CONTENTS
Chapter 1. Patriarchy and Sexual Harassment
Chapter 2. The Supreme Court Discovers Sexual Harassment
Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson
Questions Remaining after Vinson
How Revolutionary was the Vinson Case?
Chapter 3. The Supreme Court Revisits Sexual Harassment
Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc.
Faragher v. City of Boca Raton and Burlington Industries v. Ellerth
Chapter 4. Sexual Harassment as a Television Drama: The Story of Anita Hill
The Hearings
Consequences of the Hearings
Chapter 5. Sexual Harassment in the Groves of Academe
Lecherous Professors
The Applicability of Title IX
How Prevalent is Sexual Harassment?
The Role of the Department of Education
Chapter 6. Sexual Harassment in the Hostile Military Environment
How Much Misconduct?
Tailhook and Other Military Scandals
Legal Definitions
The Military Academies
The Process
Military Culture