THE LOGIC OF POWER IN THE HILL-THOMAS HEARINGS - A RHETORICAL ANALYSIS

The Hill-Thomas hearings pit the logic of freedom against the logic of power. Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee and many observers a ssumed that potential victims of sexual harassment feel free to protes t and to move beyond the reach of their assailants. Failure to exercis e these freedoms casts doubt on their charges of victimization. Such a n interpretation of events ignores the logic of power that paralyzes v ictims. Victims have learned that it is ultimately safer and more adva ntageous to tolerate abuse than to fight a losing battle against power ful individuals who are likely to prevail.