In the United States, discrimination against women is a direct violation of both federal and local laws. Under the law, discrimination against women constitutes sex discrimination and may place the guilty party in line for legal penalties. Unlawful discrimination against women can take place in many settings, with the most common being employment, housing, education, and lending. Generally speaking, discrimination is unlawful as long as the woman is treated unfairly based on her sex - being refused housing, denied a home, terminated from a position, or disqualified from an opportunity because of sex. In certain cases, however, discrimination may be legal if the circumstances merit the actions that occurred. Common examples of legal discrimination are requiring a male to work within a men's dressing room, or requiring a certain level of strength that a woman has not attained. If a woman is victimized by discrimination, a lawyer or women protection agency will be able to offer legal assistance to resolve the case, which may involve a court hearing and resulting penalties for the guilty party.