"Underwear Was Visible, So I Looked for 3 Seconds..." Shop Owner Claims Unfair Accusation of Sexual Harassment

'Female Customer Reported Me' Counseling Post Sparks Debate
"You Don't Know Until It Happens... Shame Is Understandable"
vs "Just a Glance? How Can It Be Proven?"

The story of a business owner who was reported for sexual harassment after staring at a female customer's see-through underwear has sparked mixed reactions among netizens.

On the 14th, a post titled "A female customer reported me to the police for sexual harassment" posted by a store owner on multiple online communities attracted the attention of netizens.

The story of a business owner who was reported for sexual harassment after staring at a female customer's top through which her underwear was visible has sparked mixed reactions among netizens.
[Photo by Asia Economy DB]

Store owner Mr. A said, "After a female customer placed a takeout order and I received her card to process the payment, she was wearing a white dress shirt that clearly showed her underwear underneath."

Mr. A continued, "I unintentionally stared for about 3 seconds, but she reported me to the police for sexual harassment, asking 'Where are you looking?'" He added, "I apologized and said I was sorry, but it was no use. What should I do?"

On the 14th, a post titled "A female customer reported me to the police for sexual harassment" written by a store owner seeking advice attracted the attention of netizens on multiple online communities.
[Photo source=Online Community]

Netizens' reactions to the story were divided. Some criticized Mr. A, saying, "If he says it was 3 seconds, it probably was longer. As a woman, she must have felt ashamed," "Those who haven't experienced it might think it's ridiculous to report, but those who have know it feels like bugs crawling all over your body," and "He wasn't just a passerby; staring intently at a customer is grounds for a report."

On the other hand, some netizens defended Mr. A, saying, "Just looking is not punishable. How would they prove it?" "South Korea is the country most afflicted by sexual crime paranoia," and "If she doesn't like being looked at that way, shouldn't she not dress like that?"

Sexual harassment is divided into physical acts, verbal acts, and visual acts

Photo by Asia Economy DB

Meanwhile, sexual harassment refers to acts that cause sexual humiliation or shame to the other person by making unwanted sexual remarks or actions.

Sexual harassment is broadly categorized into physical acts, verbal acts, and visual acts. Physical acts include physical contact such as kissing, hugging, or hugging from behind, or touching specific body parts. Verbal acts include obscene jokes, vulgar language, sexual evaluations or metaphors about appearance, or intentionally spreading sexual facts.

Visual acts include showing obscene photos, drawings, graffiti, or pornographic publications, or deliberately exposing or touching one's own specific body parts related to sex. According to the 2022 statistics on violence against women released by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, "repeatedly staring at specific body parts such as breasts or buttocks" is also considered a type of sexual violence.

However, sexual harassment without physical contact is not subject to criminal punishment. Nevertheless, workplace sexual harassment is legally prohibited under the Equal Employment Opportunity Act, and if caught, one may face a fine of up to 10 million won or disciplinary action within the workplace.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.