Karim Nammour
Karim is a lawyer, legal researcher, and activist. He joined the Legal Agenda in 2010 as a General Assembly member, contributing writer, and researcher, became a Board member in 2016, and served as the organization’s secretary from 2016 to 2018. Karim is specialized in civil and socioeconomic rights, particularly policies and rights related to people who use drugs, LGBTQI++ persons, labor and unions, Palestinian refugees, and housing and urban planning. He holds a law degree from the Saint Joseph University of Beirut.
1 comment
“Yes, allegations must be proven, and the alleged perpetrator remains “innocent until proven guilty,” social peace requires it. However, harassment is not assault, and its existence is often contingent on the victim’s perception of the facts.”
The above sentence is true but you entirely contradicted yourself when you followed it by:
“Therefore, an objective search for the truth is not necessarily compatible with fighting harassment, especially when power-dynamics and patriarchal culture are factored-in. It is precisely for this reason that there is a pressing need to adopt a comprehensive legal framework in the country.”
How can you have an “objective” investigation based on “feelings” of harassment and how do you know it wont be abused further by plotters?
Bottom line is this, harassment at the work place, on the streets and everywhere else are entirely based on “feelings” and different perspectives that could be based on political motives, mal-intent, deception and the likes. I’m speaking of harassments such as: “The boss looked at me weird today” or “he looked at my legs when i was wearing a short skirt” or for men ” I was stared at by a gang while walking the streets” “I was insulted at the workplace on a daily basis” you know everyday life.
Women as well as men get harrased everyday by more reasons than you can count and in all kinds of ways. There is and should never be a law that could allow imprisonment, fines and punishment based on the “feelings” and “moral compasses” of individuals.
If your boss likes to flirt around women or men, then it is the obligation of that man or woman to either stand up for him or herself and let it beknown she or he wont have it to the person, or if they don’t like it to quit short of any physical violence by the employee or employer or physical threat or harm.
That is what societies should be based on, I stand by and will always standby the cake maker! You don’t like the fact he doesn’t want to sell you a cake, you go buy it from somewhere else, if no one in the world wants to sell you a cake, you MAKE one yourself or start a business of making one and work hard for it if you want it that much and reap the profit of others who want similar cakes, that’s how the free market works! If you sue the man for not wanting to sell you the cake and punish him in the 100’s of thousands of dollars and crash his job and life, then this is no fight for justice but the opposite, it will be using the system for self benefit and for deluded self righteous causes.
Furthermore I find it funny that in a country with no water, electricity, internet and highest rate of expenses vs income in the world, there are those wasting time in opening up such cases without looking how much damage the #metoo movement has caused the west to ordinary law abiding citizens as well as crashing companies and jobs and products.
It is a dangerous political move that could so easily be taken advantage of and manipulated by the perpetrators and accusers.
And as for you ladies you have equal laws in the country short on marital laws (and that’s a deeply religious problem integrated in the country), It has nothing to do with your business or career success, I know countless of successful women in Lebanon in all positions, just work hard and get there like everyone else instead of trying to look for easy shortcuts. You want to prove me wrong? Then name me any Law in the country that counters what I just said above in terms of equal rights to women when it comes to careers.
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