Approximately20states prosecute these cases underexistingcriminallaws, charging people with aggravated assault, recklessendangerment, homicideorattempted homicide, or terroristthreat.
Nevertheless, the court's ruling further smudges the already blurred line between discrimination on the basis of sex, which is what is actually outlawed by Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act (the primary source of sexual-harassment law), and mere incivility or, in Mr Oncale's case, criminalassault.