Hostile Advances: The Kerry Ellison Story

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Hostile Advances: The Kerry Ellison Story is a 1996 television movie based on Ellison v. Brady, a landmark sexual harassment case. This lawsuit set the precedent for the "reasonable woman" standard in sexual harassment law which allows for cases to be analyzed from the perspective of the complainant and not the defendant. [1]The movie stars Rena Sofer and is directed by Allan Kroeker. Written by Layce Gardner and produced for Lifetime Television.

[edit] Plot

Kerry Ellison (Rena Sofer) has a good job at an office of the Internal Revenue Service. She is happy. All goes well, until Jack Gilcrest (Victor Garber) develops an interest in her. He starts stalking her--following her, and writing her sexually tense notes. Kerry makes it clear multiple times that she is not interested in him. Even when Kerry is transferred to another division, Jack's stalking does not diminish. He returns and threatens Kerry so much, she begins to get anxiety attacks. Kerry's bosses dismiss Jack's obsession as harmless, and her labor union refuses to deal with the problem. Kerry files a sexual harassment suit against her employers, who subsequently put her through hell.