Letting predators in power off the hook impedes progress

The latest detailed account of alleged sexual assault by Andrew Cuomo — this time at the governor’s mansion in Albany — is certainly shocking, but I am hardly surprised.

As a campaign director at a gender justice organization, I advocate on behalf of survivors everywhere, including those who have come forward with allegations against Cuomo. As a survivor, I know why people do not report workplace sexual abuse — for fear for losing their jobs, damaging their reputations and other forms of retaliation.

Cuomo is a primary example why women do not report instances of harassment or abuse in the workplace. Sexual abuse in the workplace is already overwhelmingly under-reported. Sixty percent of women have experienced “unwanted sexual attention, sexual coercion, sexually crude conduct, or sexist comments in the workplace,” yet only 38 percent have reported instances of sexual harassment.

This pattern is not just toxic, it’s costly to employers, who are required to allocate time, money and resources to investigate allegations of harassment and abuse, and often pay public relations professionals and attorneys to mitigate reputational damage after allegations are reported. One in seven women “have sought a new job assignment, changed jobs, or quit a job because of sexual harassment and assault,” according to the National Sexual

Violence Resource Center. Filling these vacancies adds more strain on human resources departments and managers, who are responsible for onboarding and training new employees.

Rooting out sexual violence in our workplaces, politics, and culture is critical to the health and well-being of all workers, especially women. Employees who suffer sexual harassment in the workplace are more likely to report physical and psychological problems such as “headaches, sleep problems, gastric problems, weight loss or gain” and “psychological symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, stress, and anxiety.” Moreover, witnesses and corroborating co-workers of such abuse can also suffer from mental and physical symptoms, contributing to low worker morale, among other productivity-related issues.

Attorney General Letitia James’ current investigation of sexual abuse allegations

levied against Cuomo, including widespread and credible evidence that he harassed and abused former and current employees, should alarm all New Yorkers. Cuomo’s repeated refusal to step down, at least as this investigation takes place, further subjects government employees to the possibility of continued abuse. By refusing to step down, he is showing flagrant disregard for the well-being of his own employees.

Cuomo heads the highest and most powerful position in the state of New York. This sets a terrible precedent for leaders all across the country. Not only is Cuomo exempting himself from basic workplace conduct, he is in the position to intervene in any investigation against him or decide not to hold himself accountable, even if the report finds he engaged in illicit behavior.

Allowing predatory, abusive men in positions of power off the hook impedes generations of progress. We will continue demanding that he step down and insist that Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie start impeachment proceedings immediately.