A local radio station was having an interesting conversation about this trend this morning. It came down to a discussion of the cases where the victim acknowledges that the acts were consensual, but after the fact indicate that the consent was based on fear of retribution/career damage/etc. This boiled down to a question: is it now unacceptable for a person with authority (real or apparent) to seek or engage in a romantic relationship with someone in the workplace? IMHO, it is foolish to do so in this day and age, because of the way these situations are playing out. As I once heard said, don't fish off of the company pier.
The question of this intrigues me, partially because I'm not entirely certain where I stand on it.
Partially because it has many levels. I don't think Matt Lauer was seeking romantic relationships, but just wanted a grab and tickle with woman he could manipulate. So, you have a question of degrees. I think we can all say that using your position to manipulate someone into giving you sexual favors is wrong, but when it comes to real interest in someone but you happen to be their boss, it does get tricky.
My concern is the other side of the argument and the giving of consent. I want to say that if you give consent, regardless of the situation, you can't take it back later, even if you were manipulated into saying yes out of fear of losing job, position, whatever.
Even before this current witchhunt, for the past 20 or so years, someone who used their position to manipulate someone into giving sexual favors was treading into dangerous territory if their potential victim spoke out and I don't see how any sane adult doesn't know this. Furthermore, if your career is so important to you that you would allow yourself to be manipulated into such things... Well, you have made a choice, you consented and you live with that.
I'm not saying that the person who's doing the manipulating is right. He/She is a rat bastard, but unless the victim speaks up *AT THE TIME IN WHICH THE THREAT IS MADE* I don't see how anything can be done.
At the same time, I can see how in situations were ones job is vitally important to a persons welfare that causes them to be trapped into doing something they really don't want to do.
Ultimately, I think it does boil down to the victim. I'm not victim blaming when I say this. I just don't see any other way to stop such things from happening unless the person who is being cornered speaks up and says no, because once they say yes, there just isn't anything to be done from a legally ethical standpoint.
The current trend of polarizing an issue is strong in this one, but the thing is it's not a black and white, one person is right one person is wrong issue. Once consent is given, unless given under real forced threat (in which case this becomes criminal and actual rape) it's done and if you regret it, well, we all make mistakes and we have to live with them.