Wet Panties: Awkward Flattery or Sexual Harassment?

Those who have followed my articles know that I am a corporate trainer.  My company divides the training department into external trainers, who train our clients on how to use our software and related best-practices, and internal trainers, who train our new-hires on their jobs within the company.  Usually we don't cross paths.

Another part of my job is to produce and do voice-overs for web-based training modules for both our clients as well as our employees.  My background in radio has put me in the position of being the "voice of the company" for our online presence.  Just like when I worked in radio, it has its unintended consequences.

Last week I was asked to sub for one of our internal trainers who had a family emergency.  It was an unusual request, but I'm always up for something different.  Fortunately I was quite familiar with the material since I had done the web-based training module on it just a few weeks ago.  I jumped in with both feet and discussed the material with a group of relative new-hires for about 2 hours.  It was during one of our breaks that the incident that spurred this article occured.

During the first break of the training session, when I happened to look up from my laptop, I noticed that one of the trainees was sitting there with her face beet-red.  I asked her if she'd learned anything good and she said that she had picked up a lot.  She then said, "You're the voice, arent you?"

I knew that she meant from my web modules, so I said yes with a laugh. 

Her next comment was what floored me.  "I love listening to those things.  Your voice makes my panties wet."

I was stunned for a moment then laughed and said thanks.

The rest of the training session was uneventful and several people, including her, thanked me and said it was nice to finally meet one of the road warriors, as our external trainers are known.

I've already decided I'm just going to let her comment go as an awkward bit of flattery, but here's the question I put to you:  Was it flattery or sexual harassment?

When I think if the situation were reversed and a male trainee had made the comment to a female trainer that listening to her voice got him hard, there would be screams of sexual harassment and probably some comments that he should be fired, even if it was an awkward attempt at flattery.

What do you think?

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