Sutton wants zero tolerance for sexual harassment
Saying, “I have experienced the culture that accepts sexual harassment as the norm,” Democratic Ohio governor candidate Betty Sutton unveiled a plan Thursday aiming for a harassment-free state workplace.
Among her proposals is one to “implement a zero-tolerance harassment policy with reporting structures and consequences for state lawmakers, staff and registered lobbyists.”
“Ohioans have a right to a sexual-harassment and assault-free workplaces, and it starts with establishing clear and concrete expectations for our state employees and those who do business with the state; holds predators accountable; and incentivizes others to implement policies to adequately protect workers,” she said.
Her plan comes less than two days after a second Ohio lawmaker was forced from office for inappropriate behavior. The departure of Rep. Wes Goodman, R-Cardington, for an encounter with another man in his Riffe Center office, came about a month after state Sen. Cliff Hite, R-Findlay, left after repeated unwanted encounters with a woman who worked for another state office.
Earlier this week, Michael Premo, chief of staff for Ohio Senate Democrats, resigned because of his interactions with a woman.
Sutton, a former congresswoman from northeast Ohio, said sexual harassment seems almost ever-present these days.
“We have a president who graphically talked of sexually assaulting women; we have legislators who think they can sexually prey on women with impunity; and candidates for statewide office and U.S. Senate who thumb their noses at this problem by failing to speak out. As governor, I will make it clear that Ohio will not do business with sexual predators and will not tolerate it,” she said. Sutton wants to create a Sexual Harassment and Assault Office and establish a toll-free number and web portal to allow “the safe and confidential reporting of worker harassment.”