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Lawsuit: Sexual harassment ‘victim’ was San Francisco business rival in disguise

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Re: Lawsuit: Sexual harassment ‘victim’ was San Francisco business rival in disguise

#311

Post by qb45 »

michaelt wrote: post #275
talmand wrote: post #270

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If they are removed from prison, then yes, their situation improves.

Perhaps I was too succinct in the point I was trying to make. The reason we don't punish people for retracting wrongful allegations is because we want people to retract wrongful allegations. If you're in jail on a false rape claim, you'd rather the accuser went free and you were released; than that you stayed in jail because the accuser didn't want to take your place.

Of course this needs to be done with care because retraction shouldn't be a reliable get-out-of-jail card if you use false accusations as a normal way of conducting business ;)

Re: Lawsuit: Sexual harassment ‘victim’ was San Francisco business rival in disguise

#312

Post by Evolved »

If the burden of proof is on the prosecution then, similarly, why isn't the burden on the victim to prove they were actually sexually harrassed? This isn't victim-BLAMING. This is simply an accuser having to prove their case and there is nothing wrong with that.

Re: Lawsuit: Sexual harassment ‘victim’ was San Francisco business rival in disguise

#313

Post by isoskeles »

ivanhoe wrote: post #280
BlackFly wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Compare the definition of harassment: Persistent attacks and criticism causing worry and distress or deliberate pestering or annoying. With the definition of sexual harassment: The making of unwanted and offensive sexual advances or of sexually offensive remarks or acts, especially by one in a superior or supervisory position or when acquiescence to such behavior is a condition of continued employment, promotion, or…

It always seemed to me, as outsider, that sex in the US culture is a single topic that is especially uncomfortable to people, far more than in Europe. Just look at the TV/movies or social media rules: you can show blood, violence, guns, all kinds of criminal or deviant behavior, but any kind of nudity will set off alarms, to the point that we need to defend mothers' rights to breastfeed in public because nipples are…

Nudity and sexuality are different. This feels like a false trope, the whole "Europe is so much more evolved," thing.

Pop culture from the states often looks like a role model for sexuality across the rest of the world. Don't those K-pop music videos with gyrating women kind of remind you of Britney Spears? I don't think they got the idea from Europe.

I will admit we have a confusing relationship toward sex here, where a non-sexual image of a nipple is unacceptable, but suggestive gyrating and sexual symbolism (commercials where beer is spraying out of a can like an orgasm, I don't know) are normal to the point that we don't even notice. We can see this as suppression in a way, where we can only talk about sex in metaphors, and only "the media" (Hollywood, advertisers) is allowed to do it for the rest of us.

Re: Lawsuit: Sexual harassment ‘victim’ was San Francisco business rival in disguise

#314

Post by qb45 »

saturdaysaint wrote: post #250
SeoxyS wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> watching the accuser ride the publicity to raise a round. Can you elaborate on this? Did I miss part of the story—did one of the accuser actually do that?

It sure reads like this guy didn't read the story and is running with the (admittedly misleading) headline. This story doesn't have any grey area or confusing situation - anonymous slander on the internet has nothing to do with sexual politics.

I'm under impression that the part about "riding the publicity to raise a round" referred to some other case involving 500 startups, not this one here.

Re: Lawsuit: Sexual harassment ‘victim’ was San Francisco business rival in disguise

#315

Post by qb45 »

needlessly wrote: post #267
wand3r wrote: post #36

This world is getting so fucked up. We can't crucify people for "hitting on" or other somewhat tame behavior because we have nothing left to throw at the real offenders. Conversely, people benefit on both sides of the equation; using sex to their advantage or weaponizing allegations like this. Sexual assualt is REAL and should be punished. We need to focus on a balance between being human and being a predator. People…

>This world is getting so fucked up it already is. Just visit parts of Mexico

Sorry, I live too far. Care to elaborate?

Re: Lawsuit: Sexual harassment ‘victim’ was San Francisco business rival in disguise

#316

Post by dragonwriter »

Evolved wrote: post #312

If the burden of proof is on the prosecution then, similarly, why isn't the burden on the victim to prove they were actually sexually harrassed? This isn't victim- BLAMING . This is simply an accuser having to prove their case and there is nothing wrong with that .

> If the burden of proof is on the prosecution then, similarly, why isn't the burden on the victim to prove they were actually sexually harrassed?

It is when they are suing for harassment; there was no formal accusation in this case, just an anonymous blog post.

Re: Lawsuit: Sexual harassment ‘victim’ was San Francisco business rival in disguise

#317

Post by thehardsphere »

wil421 wrote: post #297
ivanhoe wrote: post #280

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It always seemed to me, as outsider, that sex in the US culture is a single topic that is especially uncomfortable to people, far more than in Europe. Just look at the TV/movies or social media rules: you can show blood, violence, guns, all kinds of criminal or deviant behavior, but any kind of nudity will set off alarms, to the point that we need to defend mothers' rights to breastfeed in public because nipples are…

Much of the laws that shaped the country are from Protestant view point. Over the years violence and profanity have been accepted. Did you ever see what happened in the late 90/00s with profane music? It was supposedly corrupting our youth and congress had hearing discussing Eminem lyrics. How hilarious. Nudity is still rare but not really like it was 20 years ago. Religious nuts will protest "think of the children"…

> Did you ever see what happened in the late 90/00s with profane music? It was supposedly corrupting our youth and congress had hearing discussing Eminem lyrics. How hilarious.

How many of those kids are now adults who voted for Donald Trump?

Re: Lawsuit: Sexual harassment ‘victim’ was San Francisco business rival in disguise

#318

Post by smt88 »

Evolved wrote: post #312

If the burden of proof is on the prosecution then, similarly, why isn't the burden on the victim to prove they were actually sexually harrassed? This isn't victim- BLAMING . This is simply an accuser having to prove their case and there is nothing wrong with that .

> why isn't the burden on the victim

Because there is often a massive power imbalance between the harasser and the victim.

Either way, for any legal consequences to take place, the victim must prove his/her accusation.

There is no system in the world that can protect people's careers and reputations. If a false accusation is made and the accused person can prove it, then a lawsuit will often be filed (as in the case above).

Re: Lawsuit: Sexual harassment ‘victim’ was San Francisco business rival in disguise

#319

Post by dang »

strathmeyer wrote: post #49
mbesto wrote: post #16

That's right, no one would ever abuse an online system for blacklisting VCs accused of sexual harassment...smh https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14773434

LOL a leader of YC once threatened to ruin my career and prevent me from ever being hired because of a comment I made on an article that was linked here. Now I know why.

Another case of the linkless martyr.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14694045

No "leader of YC" I know would value their time so miserably as to spend it that way (or be so dumb as to feed every troll forever).

Re: Lawsuit: Sexual harassment ‘victim’ was San Francisco business rival in disguise

#320

Post by smt88 »

ablomen wrote: post #169
etjossem wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How about instead we just agree not to hit on each other within a power-imbalanced professional relationship? Seriously, I don't get how this is hard for folks. It's unbelievably simple. Be aware that you may have professional power over other people, and if you do, make an active effort not to flirt with them. Have the self-restraint not to mix an investment/supervisory relationship with romance or sex. Either it wi…

Thanks, I'll be sure tell my parents (mom used to be dad's secretary) that their 35y relationship will end in failure.

For every one example of your parents, there are many examples of my friends and girlfriend who have been harassed at work. My girlfriend was stalked for a year. The guy thought he was being sweet and romantic.

It's still incredibly inappropriate to ask someone out when you can fire her. How do you know she really wants to say yes?

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