Overview

Broad based anti-discrimination laws focus on protecting individuals based on a specific characteristic that may make them more vulnerable to discrimination, such as sex, race, age, or sexual orientation, for example. Anti-discrimination legislation is focused on effectively eradicating discrimination, of which punishing perpetrators may only be a small part. The use of anti-discrimination legislation to prohibit sexual harassment was pioneered in the United States, which addresses sexual harassment at the federal level through Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. (See: Approaches to and Remedies under Sexual Harassment Law, StopVAW, The Advocates for Human Rights)