I think it's the power imbalance that is key, the untoward element is not so much that they might be seen to have had intimate relatiosn (even if nothing happened) but that it might be viewed as he has explicitly or implicitly used his power to coerce her into those assumed intimate relations.  There's also the fact that were they to have consentsual relations then even if he did not use his seniority to get consent then she might feel that due to his senioprity she had to consent (the "Yes I consented but only because I felt I had to" situation). 


There's a series of adverts currently on social media (might be on traditional media as well) about sports coaches having sex with young sports people they are training, whcih is legal despite teachers benign barred from sex with their students even if the student is of age and close in age to the teacher (e.g. a sixth former and a newly qualified teacher may only be 3-4 years apart in age).  One of the situations decscribed is a female athlete pointing out that her coach decides if she gets picked for tournaments and srts up meetings with sponsors so she feels that if she doesn't go along with his wishes then she won't get picked or shown to sponsors.  Similarly your boss is the one who decides who gets the training and experience they need for promotion, you may feel implicitly pressured even if he gives no hint.


I don't think a junior man would feel the same concerns about dinner with a senior woman.  I think this is largely down to the different ways men and women are viewed and the different motivatiosn ascribed to them.  Men are still seen as predatory sexual beasts who are incapable of a platonic or professional relationship with a woman, where as women (especiually older women) are still viewed as largely disinterested in sex; hence a man alone with a younger woman is viewed as only interested in havign sex with her whereas a woman alone with a younger man is viewed as only interested in mothering him.

I think it's the power imbalance that is key, the untoward element is not so much that they might be seen to have had intimate relatiosn (even if nothing happened) but that it might be viewed as he has explicitly or implicitly used his power to coerce her into those assumed intimate relations.  There's also the fact that were they to have consentsual relations then even if he did not use his seniority to get consent then she might feel that due to his senioprity she had to consent (the "Yes I consented but only because I felt I had to" situation). 


There's a series of adverts currently on social media (might be on traditional media as well) about sports coaches having sex with young sports people they are training, whcih is legal despite teachers benign barred from sex with their students even if the student is of age and close in age to the teacher (e.g. a sixth former and a newly qualified teacher may only be 3-4 years apart in age).  One of the situations decscribed is a female athlete pointing out that her coach decides if she gets picked for tournaments and srts up meetings with sponsors so she feels that if she doesn't go along with his wishes then she won't get picked or shown to sponsors.  Similarly your boss is the one who decides who gets the training and experience they need for promotion, you may feel implicitly pressured even if he gives no hint.


I don't think a junior man would feel the same concerns about dinner with a senior woman.  I think this is largely down to the different ways men and women are viewed and the different motivatiosn ascribed to them.  Men are still seen as predatory sexual beasts who are incapable of a platonic or professional relationship with a woman, where as women (especiually older women) are still viewed as largely disinterested in sex; hence a man alone with a younger woman is viewed as only interested in havign sex with her whereas a woman alone with a younger man is viewed as only interested in mothering him.