I have spent a reasonable amount of time in a number of different Gyms and my experience is different than Harlots in that I do not prefer gyms with an obvious male homosexual clientele.
I also have spent time involved in a few different law suits (although not as much time as I have spent in gyms) and my experience is that while time spent in either generally involves pain, at least with a gym you get something out of it.
My statement about nobody winning a lawsuit, like many of the things I say, was not without some amount of hyperbole; but not that much. Between the costs, aggravation, the fact that there always are many sides to a story (particularly when you get a few lawyers involved) it seems that it is rarely in anyone’s interest to attempt to solve their problems through a lawsuit.
Wwanderer if the situation you describe is an ongoing one, and if the young lady has not been comfortable doing something to change it I certainly would think about ways in which you could help her do that.
I think that she should be encouraged to tell the guy in no uncertain terms that his attention is neither appreciated nor appropriate. If he persists, but they do not rise to the level of some form of criminal assault, she should talk to the manager.
My experience is that gyms are not one of the venues in which sexual harassment is generally tolerated. (Which isn’t to say that there isn’t some amount of guys checking the girls out, and vice versa.) Typically women comprise enough of the customer base that management has no business reason to tolerate it. In addition it seems that such behavior would be perceived as inappropriate by many of the “regulars” who usually are not reluctant to let someone know when they have breeched generally accepted gym behavior.
Obviously this does not mean that some self-absorbed predatory pervert isn’t going to try to hit on what he perceives to be a vulnerable female. I would expect though that if she does bring it to someone’s attention that she will not find herself with more than a few people willing to intervene on her behalf. And to do so in a way that remedies the situation much more swiftly than a lawsuit could.
(jseah – I have to imagine that there are still a number of hurdles which the woman will face before she is able to collect the trial court’s award from Baker McKenzie.)
....sorry, couldn't resist.