‘Defenses Against Depravity Equal Decency’

How Judaism Solves the Male Sexual Harassment Problem: Assume All Men Do It

Ever since Harvey Weinstein broke, sexual harassment claims have been spilling out against powerful men faster than I’ve ever seen. That it’s happening now is just a historical accident, but the fact most of it (I assume, minus a few copycats) is true is not inherently surprising.

If everyone (especially women) observed the halachos of yichud (being alone with a woman) strictly, sexual harassment wouldn’t be a big problem. It would be a minor issue only. I say this is the woman’s responsibility in secular society because they are the ones who don’t want to be harassed, so they need to take the precaution, and never be alone with a man, for any reason, that they do not want to have sex with.

Attractive women must understand this about men. All of them want sex, all the time. If men become powerful enough they lose their inhibitions, so don’t ever be alone with any man you do not want to sleep with. If you are alone with any man, assume your chances of sexual advances, wanted or not, are greater than 30%. So just don’t do it.

While that does not totally end the problem, it greatly curtails it into something more manageable.

From The Jewish Libertarian, here.