Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employees are protected from suffering acts of discrimination or harassment in the workplace. However, despite these types of laws and the protections they afford both female and male employees, millions of U.S. workers are subjected to acts of workplace sexual harassment.
From sexually-charged comments and advances to cases of sexual assault and rape, an employee who has been the victim of these or other similar acts have rights and would be wise to seek legal advice. An attorney who handles employment law matters can provide advice, support and assistance in the event an individual chooses to file a sexual harassment lawsuit.
A sexual harassment lawsuit against Wall Street millionaire Benjamin Wey, recently culminated with a jury awarding his former 25-year-old Swedish assistant $18 million. According to court documents, Wey met his future assistant, Hanna Bouveng, roughly two years ago at a party.
Upon meeting the attractive young woman, Wey offered Bouveng a job as his assistant and paid for her to live in an apartment near his company’s office. Soon thereafter, Bouveng testified that Wey began buying her expensive gifts and pressuring her to have sex. After a night of drinking, Bouveng asserted Wey took advantage of her. Wey then continued to pressure Bouveng to have sex and became enraged when he discovered that she was involved in a sexual relationship with another man.
Wey fired Bouveng and engaged in a vengeful campaign to ruin her reputation and life. Hoping to escape Wey’s fury and reach, Bouveng fled back to Sweden where she asserts Wey hired “detectives to stalk her.” She also recounted a particularly terrifying run-in with Wey when he traveled to Sweden and confronted her while she was working at a cafe.
While Bouveng originally sought damages totaling $850 million in her lawsuit, the jury’s award of $18 million is validation of Wey’s guilt and will be beneficial as she attempts to rebuild her life. No amount of money, however, can undo the psychological, emotional and physical pain and injury Bouveng suffered.
Source: The Washington Post, “A Wall Street ‘wolf,’ a Swedish model and a lurid $18 million sexual harassment battle,” Michael E. Miller, June 30, 2015
