More sex abuse claims dog advocacy group
SEXUAL misconduct allegations have continued to surface inside education advocacy group Equal Education.
It’s emerged that the organisation’s co-founder, Doron Isaacs, has been accused of sexual harassment, and well-known activist Zackie Achmat has been fingered for allegedly covering Isaacs’ tracks.
According to a weekly paper, a number of female staff members came forward alleging the institutional failure to address sexual harassment allegations which date back nearly a decade. They include three women who alleged they were sexually harassed by Isaacs. The women who have come forward also claim Achmat tried to intimidate them from speaking out.
“As a movement committed to principles of human dignity, social justice and equality, Equal Education (EE) is deeply distressed by the allegations of sexual harassment,” EE said in a statement.
They confirmed that Isaacs resigned from the organisation and said he had not admitted to any wrongdoing at this stage.
“We have acted swiftly to address every allegation put before us. We have not communicated publicly about these processes at each step of the way because it would undermine the integrity of these processes.
“In addition, we have acted in this way to protect those who have come forward as our primary concern,” EE said.
Achmat has refuted all the allegations: “I have been accused of obstructing and defeating the ends of justice for survivors of sexual misconduct and therefore I have chosen to support the fullest inquiry into any aspect of my work over decades in regard to covering up sexual misconduct.”
He released a lengthy statement on Twitter, saying he was made aware of the rumours by four friends, but no formal complaints were made by them or the survivors of the incident, which limited his opportunity to address them.
It’s been a tumultuous time already for the organisation. Last Monday EE confirmed that its general secretary, Tshepo Motsepe, had resigned back in April after several women came forward with allegations that he had sexually harassed them, a claim Motsepe has denied.
On Friday the Cape Argus reported about another senior management staff member being investigated after he allegedly offered a job to a volunteer in exchange for sex.