When I was in my thirties and a (fairly) responsible adult - a head teacher no less - the husband of a friend & colleague "touched me up" to use the vernacular. I was the head of a small village school & there was quite a lot of very enjoyable social interaction between staff & parents including dinner parties.
The incidents, it was more than once, were relatively low key. He would put his hand up my skirt as I moved around the table serving people. It was only my calf & thigh, no further, so not something really invasive or offensive although it was under my skirt. (I did wear skirts in those days!)
I did nothing. I didn't acknowledge to him that anything untoward had happened. I didn't tell my husband. I didn't do what I was seriously tempted to & say "get your hand out from under my skirt!" They were happy social occasions I couldn't embarrass his wife in public. Although my husband was a mild & kind man I knew that if I told him he would be outraged. So I opted for the line of least resistance and did nothing.
In doing nothing I now feel that I colluded with the behaviour. I sent a very strong message that it was OK. It wasn't. He was banking on just that reaction. Knowing him quite well I think it gave him a sexual buzz & a feeling of power. He probably thought I enjoyed it too. ( I couldn't possibly have fancied him in a million years).
Some men simply don't seem to be inhibited by norms of social behaviour. I doubt they care. Violating personal space doesn't seem important to them. Women are a challenge to their (lack of?) masculinity & I suspect that a professional, competent woman is an even bigger prize to put in her place as a sexual object.
I don't know the truth of the Lord Rennard saga. I tend to believe that his behaviour was probably very similar to the man I described and the reaction of the women involved was probably very similar to mine. The truth is that this sort of thing goes on all the time. I wasn't traumatised by it, & I doubt that Lord Rennards victims were either. That doesn't make it acceptable.
Until men are made to face up to the inappropriateness of their behaviour by women speaking out publicly this will go on. Unfortunately it isn't as simple or as black & white as that. But, surely there comes a point when if enough women complain individually, or enough people comment on inappropriate behaviour, over a long period, one has to acknowledge that something is wrong? Even if it can't be proved to the standards of "beyond reasonable doubt" in court.
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