Dozens of US lawmakers have been accused of sexual harassment, study finds
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- An advocacy group, the National Women’s Defense League (NWDL), reported 53 allegations of workplace sexual harassment against at least 30 House and Senate lawmakers over the past 20 years, with nine still in office.
- Most allegations involve men harassing women, primarily legislative staff, and the actual number of incidents is likely higher due to underreporting.
- The issue is bipartisan, with 60% of allegations against Republicans and 40% against Democrats, and if including pre-election and non-workplace claims, 137 accusations have been made against 49 members.
- Recent high-profile resignations, including Democrat Eric Swalwell and Republican Tony Gonzales, have intensified scrutiny of Congress’s handling of sexual misconduct.
- NWDL calls for systemic reforms, criticizing resignation as an inadequate response that allows offending lawmakers to retain benefits and avoids addressing survivors' ongoing challenges.
