Final Word from Monday, January 19, 2004
MP Martin Kocourek of ODS complained yesterday on TV Prima that the new law on sexual harassment waiting for President Václav Klaus' signature is being imposed by Brussels. It defines and bans sexual harassment on the work place and puts the burden on the accused to prove that he or she is innocent. Kocourek expects the law either to have no effect at all or to lead to a rash of abusive lawsuits. He thinks that the bill is overkill and that individual Czechs are able to deal on their own with inappropriate sexual behavior. An elderly male listener of Czech Radio wondered why so much fuss is being made about butt-slapping on the work place when young ladies are walking around on the street half-naked. He said he's no prude but that men, too, need to be protected from sexual harassment. The new law will finally give them a hemline of defense.