Is Aziz Ansari Guilty of Sexual Harassment or Subjecting a Woman to a Bad Date?

After showing up to the Golden Globe awards wearing a Times Up pin which displayed his position on the issue of sexual harassment, Aziz Ansari was then accused of sexual misconduct himself after the woman he allegedly forced himself onto witnessed the gesture. Although news sources have been reporting daily new accounts of sexual harassment involving some pretty well-known individuals, this particular story has caught people’s attention in a different way.

While we have heard about the doctor who not only treated Olympic gymnasts but sexually assaulted them as well as major names in Hollywood who took advantage of the power they held, this story has many wondering whether it is a case of sexual harassment or simply just a date gone wrong. According to the Chicago Tribune, Ansari and the unnamed woman who has been going by “Grace” for reporting purposes, met at a party and things seemed to kick off from there. They went on a few dates, exchanged some flirty text messages, and met a few more times. The last time they got together, they had some wine and that’s where things began to make Grace uncomfortable. She claimed that Ansari gave her white wine, not red, although she would have much preferred the red. Perhaps that was her red flag that the actor wasn’t taking into account her preferences. 

Still, she remained at his apartment and continued on with the date. 

Then, they began kissing and when Ansari began to take things further, she alleged she displayed clear signs indicating that she was not into it. Ansari, who claims he never saw any sign of this, continued to pursue the woman. Eventually, she spoke up and stated that she wanted to go home so Ansari called an Uber and she left. No forceful behavior was recorded and the only way Ansari knew she was dissatisfied with their last date was after he received a text message from the woman the next day saying how uncomfortable he had made her. He immediately apologized and took her words to heart. While he thought that was the end of it, she felt obliged to speak out about their date when she saw him accept his award wearing the supportive pin on his shirt.

But, the question that many have been asking is whether this is just a case of a bad date or if Ansari’s behavior fits the profile of a sexual harasser. Unlike many other cases involving acts that would be considered as crimes, many believe that Ansari may not have done anything wrong. In fact, this woman may have just been unhappy with the sexual encounter she experienced with the actor but is now claiming she never wanted things to go that far. In any event, there is a thick line that divides an act of sexual misconduct and a bad experience. Which side of the line this case falls on can best be answered by a sexual harassment lawyer.

The Ansari case could cause some confusion in other sexual harassment cases.

While every case of sexual harassment, no matter how minor you might think the act is, should be taken seriously, the news source pointed out that people claiming they have been victimized instead of accepting that they experienced a bad date could make it more difficult for other claims to be taken seriously. The source states, “This not only harms the #MeToo narrative writ large, it totally derails any future stories about Ansari that might come out.” As more details emerge surrounding this story, victims of harassment are still encouraged to come forward and seek help with their own incident from an experienced sexual harassment lawyer.

If you live in Chicago, IL and believe that you were sexually harassed, USAttorneys.com will help you locate a sexual misconduct lawyer in Chicago who can advise you on what to do.