"I want to make sure that we respect the courage of these women who came forward to share these difficult stories. I want to make sure that we respect them and give them the space for them to talk about it."
"Any abuse of a woman or a child, anything like that, is unforgivable. We don't justify it. We don't accept it. That's not who we are."
"An investigation by the New York Times found that Chavez, a co-founder of the union, had sexually abused two girls, and fellow union leader Dolores Huerta said he had raped her in the 1960s."
The United Farm Workers, the nation's oldest and most influential farmworkers union, faces significant challenges following a New York Times investigation revealing that co-founder Cesar Chavez sexually abused two girls and allegedly raped fellow union leader Dolores Huerta in the 1960s. UFW President Teresa Romero expressed commitment to supporting the victims who came forward, emphasizing respect for their courage in sharing their experiences. The allegations shocked farmworkers nationwide who revered Chavez as a hero. Romero, who joined the union years after Chavez's 1993 death, stated the organization does not justify or accept abuse and that such conduct contradicts UFW values. The union acknowledged receiving no direct reports previously and indicated it is consulting with expert organizations.
#sexual-abuse-allegations #cesar-chavez #united-farm-workers #labor-movement-accountability #victim-support
Read at Los Angeles Times
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