News Archive

Professor Jennifer Drobac was a guest on the program “AirTalk” on Los Angeles, California, public radio station KPCC. The program aired July 20.

The portion of the program during which Professor Drobac spoke dealt with the sexual harassment case against Fox News chief executive Roger Ailes. She discussed the reasons why someone who is experiencing this on the job may chose not to come forward.

“Human beings are complex creatures and we rarely have situations where you have Darth Vader or Simon Legree doing the harassing or committing the assault,” she said during the program. Sexual harassment and certain kinds of assault are actually vehicles of domination and power, she said.

Employees in these kinds of situations often benefit from learning from the boss, Professor Drobac pointed out, noting that in neutral settings the employee and boss may work well together, and that the employee can put on a brave front and may even feel powerful for putting up with the unwanted behavior.

“But it’s a nibbling effect,” Professor Drobac said. “Over time she gets nibbled to death by these toxic remarks and demeaning actions.”

Professor Drobac is a nationally known scholar who is frequently sought out by national media for her expertise in the areas of sexual harassment law, and adolescent neurological and psychological development and the law. Her latest book, Sexual Exploitation of Teenagers: Adolescent Development, Discrimination, and Consent Law, was published by University of Chicago Press.