Decency In The Workplace

Maybe it's just the city I live in, but I don't understand why men think it's more than okay to say rude/crude/icky things to their female co-workers.  When did this become the norm?  And these aren't 20-year old guys who are trying to be flirtatious in hopes of scoring a date.  These are married men, well into their forties, fifties and even sixties who think it's acceptable to literally rub shoulders with women and schmooze up to them, like it's Friday night in a bar.  It's disgusting.

The men doing this are someone's husband and, more often than not, someone's father.  I would be horrified if my dad or Mike EVER treated any of their female co-workers the way that some of these men treat their co-workers.  Have I mentioned how disgusting it is?  Don't try to grab my hand and rub it. Don't lean in to me, shoulder first and pretend like you want to cuddle.  Don't make jokes with sexual undertones.  I'll say it again - it's disgusting.

What I'd like to know is why women perpetuate this and allow it to happen in the first place.  Who are these women that think this is cute and fun and egg the men on?  What sort of gratification do these women get by being objectified by these slobbering, blue-collared (and white-collared) neanderthals?  It is beyond demeaning and I pity the women who actually enjoy being treated that way.

And what sort of power trip do these men get by treating women like sex objects?  Especially the married men?  Do their wives and children know that they say these icky things to other women?  What is it these men are lacking in their lives that makes them want/need to say/do these things?  I just don't understand it.  Is it small penis syndrome?  Is it because they were bullied as kids and now that they think their current title automatically comes with a certain power means they can say anything they want with no consequences?

What can a woman say/do when these icky comments are being made?  I'd like to be able to put a definite stop to this crap, but do it in a tactful way...you know, to be able to insult the guy without him realizing he's being insulted?  I've always like the definition of tact: being able to tell someone to go to hell in such a nice way that they actually look forward to the trip :)

And it's not worth your time to suggest that these actions be reported as sexual harassment - this type of behaviour is deemed as acceptable right from the top, down.  Like I said at the start...when (and how) did this become the norm?