Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyer Blog

A shocking case out of Martinez, near San Francisco, revealed a district attorney's office prosecution unit that was rife with sexual harassment, court documents revealed.

The Los Angeles Times reports that after a prosecutor was charged with raping a co-worker with whom he had a sexual relationship -- charges were later dropped. Officials discovered that the attorneys would discuss at length their sexual histories and preferences at work and after work. Some also said that prosecuting sex crimes gave them ideas for what they could do in bed.

This case is disturbing on several levels. For one, that attorneys, called to prosecute crimes that can cause lifelong trauma to a victim and can include life in prison for a defendant, would consider these crimes fodder for their own sexual deviance is appalling. But second to that, this shows that this office had a culture of sexual harassment in the workplace that likely violated every policy and law in the book.

Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyers have seen offices where a culture exists that allows people to violate sexual harassment laws without consequence. This can only stop if someone steps up and puts an end to it.

The article goes on to state that the sex crimes prosecutor was on his way to work when a police officer handcuffed him and told him he had been indicted on a charge of suspicion of rape. Another prosecutor in the office called police and said she had been raped during their lunch hour as the 54-year-old was awaiting a jury verdict in a molestation case he was responsible for trying.

She said she wanted to have sex with him, but not the "kinky" sex -- with ice cubes, an ice pick, handcuffs and a gun -- that she classified as a brutal rape. She testified to the grand jury, which indicted the man. They had had sex before and he told police the sex was rough but consensual.

After three years, a judge dismissed the charges because the grand jury didn't hear evidence that may have undermined the credibility of the alleged victim, the Times reports.

But the case blew open a secret culture inside the district attorney's office, which workers referred to as a "sex club" where co-workers had co-ed "slumber parties" and photographed themselves in sexually provocative poses. They would use sexual jargon in the office, discuss their sexual activities at lunch and some said they enjoyed their work because it gave them ideas for the bedroom.

Court documents suggest that the victim, who scored poorly on job performance evaluations and wasn't offered a full-time job, had motivation to lie. Her bosses allowed the two to work together for four months before charges were filed, suggesting they didn't trust her account.

Office members are now getting training about what constitutes sexual harassment, which obviously was not made a priority before now. The attorney general's office, who handled the case because of a potential conflict of interest within the district attorney's office, hasn't decided whether to appeal the ruling or re-file charges. The alleged victim has since moved to Florida.

Continue reading "Rape Prosecution Affirms D.A.'s Office Rife With Sexual Harassment" »

A recent poll conducted by ABC News and The Washington Post found that 1 in 4 American women claim they have been sexually harassed on the job, Forbes Magazine reports.

This is a disturbing statistic to think that millions of women face sexual harassment in Los Angeles and nationwide on a daily basis at work. A workplace should be free of that type of stress since there is likely many other areas that are stress-inducing.

Newport Beach sexual harassment lawyers have seen the emotional trauma that facing sexual harassment can cause to a victim of this type of behavior. It can be as simple as a snide sexual comment in the break room at lunch or a dirty e-mail that's inappropriate. Some co-workers take it as far as to hit on a co-worker or seek sexual favors for job promotions or hiring.

In light of the news of sexual harassment allegations against presidential hopeful Herman Cain, more and more is being said about this type of harassment. It can happen at work, in member-based organizations and even in public settings. None of it is lawful.

The Forbes column looks at the fact that sexual harassment has been going on for decades and yet there are still incidents of this happening every day. A recent survey cited by the article states that only 64 percent of Americans see harassment as a serious on-the-job problem, a drop from 88 percent in 1992.

Some female journalists have said that young professional women are more apt to shovel these sexual harassment incidents under the table and continue doing their jobs because they have tough skin. Another opinion is that they may get pressure from other female co-workers who don't want to "rock the boat" and get looked down upon by their male bosses.

Some female work advice columns, the article states, encourages women not to report harassment. They say a better avenue is to ask for a transfer, to report to a different boss. The mentality sometimes is that troublemakers will get looked down upon and that female employees should be able to take a joke.

But it's not a joke -- it's a power struggle and it can be damaging. No one should be forced to endure a work environment where they are uncomfortable, or worse, subjected to a daily routine of frustration.

The only way to make the behavior stop is with the help of an experienced Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyer. Trying to brush it off only encourages the behavior to continue. If a person is sexually harassed at work and nothing is said, a culture that says it's OK for sexual harassment to occur is born. It must be put to a stop and that only happens if action is taken. Otherwise, it will continue and will get worse.

Continue reading "1 in 4 Women Have Been Sexually Harassed in Los Angeles, Poll Finds" »

A recent study by the American Association of University Women found that 48 percent of high school and middle school students surveyed believe they have been sexually harassed at least once, typically by their peers, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Allegations of sexual harassment in Los Angeles, regardless of the setting, is inappropriate. Sexual harassment comes in many forms and from many people. It is as simple as someone sending an e-mail that has sexual overtones and makes someone uncomfortable. It can be as extreme as someone asking for sexual favors in order to get or keep a job.

Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyers have seen everything in between. In many cases, people who commit these unlawful acts are in a position of power and use that power to ensure they don't get caught.

In office or business settings, this typically can happen when there is a culture that allows for these things to go on. If no one else is reporting it, a person may feel he or she would be a "tattletale" if they step up and fight back. Or, given our difficult economic climate, a person could feel nervous that he or she would be retaliated against if they spoke up.

While this harassment shouldn't be going on at work, it certainly shouldn't be happening to our children. But it is, a new survey found. Of the respondents, 48 percent said they have been sexually harassed in school -- middle and high school. That means that children around 12 to 18 feel that they have been sexually harassed.

Girls are more likely to be sexually harassed -- "unwelcome sexual behavior that takes place in person or electronically" -- in the survey than boys. About 56 percent of girls said they were sexually harassed at least once in the last school year. Thirty percent said the harassment came electronically, while 44 percent said it happened in person. The electronic harassment could have come via text message, Facebook or email.

The survey asked 1,965 students in both private and public schools. Girls, whose bodies were more developed than their peers', were more likely to be harassed. Boys who are overweight or "not very masculine" were more likely to be opened up to harassment.

About 13 percent of girls said they were touched in an unwelcome sexual way, while the majority -- 33 percent -- said they were the target of unwelcome sexual comments or jokes. Another 18 percent said they were called gay or lesbian in a negative way.

The problem here is that these remarks can have a long-term effect on the students. Eighty seven percent of respondents said the harassment had detrimental effects on them. About 33 percent said they didn't want to attend school after and some had difficulty sleeping or studying.

This happens to adults, too. Many victims of sexual harassment don't want to go to work where they feel they are opened up to sexual advances. This can cause depression or other mental issues. Sexual harassment in Los Angeles is serious and can have long-term consequences. Discuss your case with a lawyer today.

Continue reading "Survey Finds That Half of Students Sexually Harassed in Los Angeles Schools" »

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Republican Presidential hopeful Herman Cain was hit with sexual harassment charges in recent years, which has thus far become a hot political topic as the candidates race toward the nomination.

Allegations of sexual harassment in Los Angeles for instance can range from unwelcome sexual advances to requests for sexual favors, sexually offensive jokes and touching that is considered inappropriate.

In workplaces where this type of environment is allowed and unlawful activities persist, an experienced Orange County sexual harassment lawyer can be important. In atmospheres where bosses use their power and influence to allow this type of behavior, a lawsuit may be the only thing that can stop the problems at work.

Politico recently reported that two female employees of the National Restaurant Association accused Cain of improper conduct while he was the organization's chief between 1996 and 1999. The unidentified women signed agreements with the association that included financial payouts and required they not speak about the alleged incidents.

Cain denounced the allegations, saying he has never sexually harassed anyone in his 40 years of business experience. The Los Angeles Times reports that in several interviews following the story being published, Cain gave different accounts of what happened.

In one interview, Cain said he didn't know if the association had settled with anyone over the allegations, but said he hoped it wasn't for much money. Later that day, he denied the charges and said he didn't know if the charges were settled or how much might have been paid out by the trade group. He said he stood aside and allowed the group to handle the issue.

In another TV appearance, Cain said the association settled with one woman, saying it may have been for several months' salary, which was less than she demanded. He said in another interview that he didn't believe he had acted behaved inappropriately. "But as you would imagine, it's in the eye of the person who thinks that maybe I crossed the line."

Some GOP strategists believe the episode could help the campaign as backers label the situation as the "liberal media" trying to take him down, but other analysts believe that the issue could be troubling to donors who don't like Cain's seemingly unprepared campaign.

Regardless, it appears from the fact that there was a settlement that some type of sexual harassment happened, though based on the terms of the settlement reported in the article, we probably will never know the details.

Sexual harassment in Los Angeles can happen anyplace -- from business offices to government offices and many places in between.

Harassment happens when people in power feel they have no accountability. They believe they can treat co-workers how they wish, even if that includes sexually based conversations and e-mails or even groping and touching inappropriately. It's all unlawful and must be stopped.

Continue reading "Presidential Hopeful Herman Cain Attacked With Sexual Harassment Claims" »