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Sexual Harassment Law Approved in Brazil

Originally published by the BBC World Service, April 19, 2001

The President of Brazil, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, is expected to sign into law a bill outlawing sexual harassment.

The bill, which was passed on Wednesday by the Senate, sets prison sentences of up to two years for sexual harassment and has been welcomed by feminist groups.

A congresswoman, Iara Bernardi, said that there was no problem with flirting or making a pass in the workplace such behaviour becomes sexual harrassment if one person uses his or her hierarchical superiority to gain sexual advantage over the other.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service.
©BBC MMI.