Late in May, we discussed allegations that Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson sexually harassed an employee in the city manager’s office in 2013 and 2014. Such accusations are now expanding beyond Johnson to others in City Hall, with two new sexual harassment suits being filed in two days. One of the suits is against Vice Mayor Allen Warren.
The plaintiff in that suit says that Warren took her to his cabin, and told her to visit him at his home for sex. An article by KTXL-TV implies that the plaintiff may have had a consensual sexual relationship with Warren, but broke it off and refused to have any more sex. She says she was fired from the city as a result.
The other suit is against a former official in the city Department of Utilities. The plaintiff, a temporary department employee, says the defendant repeatedly made unwanted sexual advances toward her. The supervisor, a female, allegedly would hug the plaintiff and caress the plaintiff’s neck. She would also “regularly” expose her panties to the plaintiff despite the latter woman’s objections.
For refusing her boss’ advances, the plaintiff says, she was denied a permanent position in the department.
We note the second defendant’s gender to remind our readers that not all sexual harassment is between male harassers and female victims. Both men and women can harass their underlings or co-workers, and both male and female workers can be victimized. The important thing is, the worker has been forced to endure a toxic work environment and/or unwanted sexual advances in the workplace.
