Dr. Bill Lancashire & Dr. Jennifer Law wish to announce the opening of their FAMILY PRACTICE and URGENT CARE CLINIC. 3652 West Austin Road OPENING EARLY DECEMBER Call 962-2797 for an appointment THE FREE PRESS WOMEN DECEMBER 1, 1994 A19 ‘It’s illegal’ Fighting sexual harassment Kate Hughes is on a mission to make sure work environments are comfortable to everyone. “There is an obligation to keep the workplace free of sexual harassment,” says Ms. Hughes, a Vancouver labour lawyer who spoke to students at the College of New Caledonia. “Women have to find their way through this institution into the workplace. If we can work on prevention it will be easier to enforce it.” She doesn’t see her work educating the public and fighting sexual harassment as the work of a radical. It’s all about ensuring no one is being discriminated against. Ms. Hughes told students there are ways to deal with issues of sexual harassment. “Most employers now have policies of sexual harassment, if not the sexual harassment law is now entrenched in the British Columbia Human Rights Act.” Ms. Hughes is very serious about her subject and doesn’t like to mince words. “It’s illegal. A lot of women have been dealing with it (sexual harassment) and they don’t have to.” Understanding the laws for sexual harassment can become tricky; however, the basic premise is very simple. Any environment where a woman feels uncomfortable, because of her sex, is harassment. It doesn’t have to be come-ons that a woman rejects, it could be what is known as a poisoned environment. This is an area of law that has been changed dramatically. Leering, sexual jokes and sexually graphic material in the workplace were once acceptable. Today this is easily recognized as inappropriate behaviour.” Ms. Hughes admits it’s not so cut and dried because many women put up with inappropriate behaviour because they don’t want to punish men. “The intent to sexually harass is irrelevant. We just want to make sure everybody is careful because they could very well be harassing without even meaning to, and upsetting the women they work with.” She explains that there are two forms of sexual harassment. There is the traditional form of sexual harassment, where a person comes on to another in an unwelcome manner. There is the poisoned environment where gender-based insults and comments make a woman feel uncomfortable, intimidated and threatened. “Employers and unions are becoming more aware of the issues, especially since Anita Hill.” Hughes: ‘Leering, sexual Jokes and sexually graphic material in the workplace were once acceptable. Today this Is easily recognized as Inappropriate behaviour.’ rob Biron/free press ► Did you know? The total value of all B.C. forest products exported from Canada in 1993 was $11.75 billion, up from $9.52 billion the year before. In 1993, the value of lumber exported was $6.7 billion, up from $4.8 billion in 1992. Lumber accounted for close to 60 per cent of all B.C. forest products exports in 1993. The value of pulp, newsprint and other paper products exports in 1993 totalled nearly $4.1 billion or almost 35 per cent of export sales. Source: Council of Forest Industries , /ceti/iuHti de Van Clcef & Arpels Cosmetic Perfumery THE Place for Fragrance 1480 3rd Avenue • 563-3788 Ours Alone! The ultimate romantic gesture...a gift of pure luxury. Parfum, Body lotion and Eau de Parfum vapo presented in a beautiful coffret $125 (value $170) Superseries 1534 Contoured seat and back. Height adjustable back provides correct lumbar support. Obusforme® 4443 Reduces back strain and helps prevent further deterioration of back Illness. r 847 4TH AVE I STATIONERS LTD. 847 4TH AVENUE • 563-7702 Give the e.ift of Stvle and Comfort GRANADA by GLOBAL8 DELUXE COMPUTER WORKSTATION Meeting rooms always full? “Q" Island work surfaces provide a place to meet within your own office. SOLID OAK DRAWER FRONTS Printer storage drawer Box drawer Mouse board Diskette drawer CPU compartment keyboard pullout cord grommet Hutches optional Available In Cherry or Bleached Oak laminate Contemporary Styling