Sexual harassment can take on many forms. Sexual harassment in the workplace is illegal, but it still happens. The movie North Country, starring Charlize Theron, highlights the landmark case that brought legislation to sexual harassment in the workplace.
This film is based on the 1984 landmark sexual harassment class-action case Jenson v. Eveleth Taconite Co. The fictional Josey Aimes, played by Theron, was “inspired by” the real-life story of Lois Jenson, a Minnesotan iron miner who faced horrible sexual harassment at her job. This movie is filled with abuse against women. Josey escaped from an abusive husband before going to work into the mines. While working in the mines, she refused to give into the demands of the men, which caused them to give her labels that were incorrect. Josey was also essentially harassed by everyone around her, including her own father, who seemed to be ashamed of her. Josey decided to leave her job at the mine and sue for harrasment. During the trial, the lawyers tried to blame the victim, once again, and say that Josey was promiscuous becuse she and her steady boyfriend had sex and became pregnant when Josey was 16. However, Josey became pregnant at 16 not by her boyfriend, but by her teacher raping her. Josey didn’t want to give up her baby and her boyfriend witnessed the rape before running off quickly, not knowing what to do. He eventually told the truth about the rape.
Eventually, the mining company lost the case and and is forced to pay the women money for what they suffered at the hands of the abuse against them. This landmark case, Jenson v. Eveleth Taconite Co., also established a sexual harassment in the workplace policy .
Women and Violence 