I [22F] experienced sexual harassment from a friend of my boyfriend's father [50sM] during the father's birthday celebration.
My boyfriend’s father invited us to celebrate his birthday at a cabin in the mountains. This was my first time meeting many of his friends and family members. We only stayed for one night, while the rest of the group planned to stay for the entire week. Upon arrival, I was introduced to everyone, and initially, everything felt normal. Most of the group was drinking heavily, while my boyfriend and I opted to abstain. One guest, whom I'll refer to as Hank, was there with his wife. From the beginning, he persistently tried to offer drinks to everyone, including me, and I had to decline several times. At one point, a dog belonging to someone in the group laid down near me and rested her head on my foot. Hank approached to pet the dog, and I felt him brush against my lower leg, but I didn't think much of it at the time. Later, when I went to prepare drinks for my boyfriend and myself, Hank followed me and attempted to push hard alcohol on us. He eventually showed me where to find what I needed, but while doing so, he placed his hand on my waist. I had hardly spoken to him, so I felt uncomfortable. Then, he let his hand slide down, brushing against my butt. Although it didn’t feel like a grab, I was fairly certain it was intentional. I also noticed that he was staring at my chest instead of making eye contact. In that moment, it felt as if time had stopped. I wanted to firmly set a boundary, but with everyone else celebrating and in good spirits, I feared that calling him out would ruin the vibe. Instead, I went outside to tell my boyfriend what happened. At first, he seemed inclined to give Hank the benefit of the doubt, but we ultimately agreed that he should stay close to me for the rest of the night. I made a conscious effort to avoid Hank, and my boyfriend and I found a quieter corner away from the group. Despite this, Hank approached us again while I was cuddled up with my boyfriend, and tried to sit next to me while pushing hard alcohol again. My boyfriend immediately moved to sit between us. We both declined, but Hank continued to insist. Eventually, my boyfriend relented just to diffuse the situation, even though he wasn’t interested in drinking. Hank ended up staying for 20 to 30 minutes talking to my boyfriend before we said we were going to bed. Now, I'm unsure how to proceed. My boyfriend’s father was very drunk and in high spirits that night. If I had mentioned it to him then, he likely would have confronted Hank aggressively, ruining his mood. I also don’t know the others in the group well, and some might dismiss my feelings as being overly sensitive. My concern is that it could turn into a “he said, she said” situation. Nonetheless, I believe Hank’s behavior needs to be addressed. His wife was present, as was my boyfriend, and I had only spoken to him briefly. I genuinely believe that had circumstances been different—had I been drinking or alone with him—he would have crossed further boundaries. The next day, Hank stayed in bed for a long time, and we maintained our distance. Nothing else occurred with him after that. I feel conflicted. My boyfriend’s father is still at the cabin celebrating, and I don’t want to spoil his good time. I also don’t want to ignite a debate among the group about whether this was sexual harassment. However, I've been considering talking to him once they return—maybe without going into too much detail, just to express that Hank made me uncomfortable and that if we get invited back next year, I’d prefer to come on a different day. **TL;DR** A friend of my boyfriend's father made me uncomfortable with his behavior, and I'm unsure whether and how to inform the father about it. I would greatly appreciate any advice. Thank you so much.