There was a time when women were largely expected to tolerate crude comments and even intimidating physical approaches by male colleagues in some workplaces.
Those days are thankfully long gone and it has been conclusively established that sexual harassment of any kind is not just repugnant but blatantly unlawful.
However, there are clearly still occasions when women still have to endure disgraceful behaviour as they set out to develop a career or simply earn a living.
The experiences of sisters Kirstie and Courtney McKeever at a Belfast outlet of the fast food chain KFC were disturbing at every level.
As we reported yesterday, the young women said that a co-worker touched and pinched them as well as using overtly sexual language and at one stage actually exposing himself.
They said that their ordeal continued after they complained to supervisers, and eventually the sisters felt that they had no option other than to resign.
The victims went on to take a legal case, supported by the Equality Commission, and were entirely vindicated when they were awarded £14,000 and £16,000 respectively against their employer.
In agreeing the outcome, KFC franchisee Herbel Restaurants stressed that it would not accept any kind of harassment by staff members and said the settlement had clarified that no blame lay with the company for what happened to the sisters.
A statement expressed regret to the victims and also pointed out the employee in question was dismissed as the result of a subsequent investigation.
There will be a strong feeling that the sisters were fully entitled to the awards they received, and that the case sends out a strong message to wider society.
It is essential that women employees are treated with absolute respect by their male colleagues and that any issues they raise over sex discrimination are taken seriously from the start.
When breaches of the relevant legislation are established, it is equally important that firm consequences are seen to follow without delay.
