Citation

Tabak N, Livneh A. Med. Law 2005; 24(3): 479-488.

Affiliation

Nursing Department, School of Health Profession, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, International Centre of Medicine and Law)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16229383

Abstract

Sexual harassment is a continuum of expression of human behavior ranging from attraction and flirtation at one extreme through to violence at the other. Four main models have been proposed to account for the phenomenon. These include the biological, organizational, sociocultural and the spill-over models. In this article, the term spill-over is used to explain the appearance and characteristics of harassment in the health care environment of the hospital. With the introduction of two new laws in Israel, the Law of Equal Opportunity and the Law for Prevention of Sexual Harassment, greater awareness of the rights of victims of harassment and their remedies are now on the Statute Book. Some of the salient features of the two laws are emphasized. Changes in the attitude of the courts based on this legislation are now occurring and greater prominence given to violent behavior is a feature of the change in public awareness of sexual harassment.