Harassment cases spark candidate’s call to action
Antoinette Sedillo Lopez — a former UNM law professor and women’s rights advocate running for Congress in New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District — has been doing a lot of thinking about sexual harassment since the issue exploded into the national consciousness late this year.
In a recent phone conversation, Sedillo Lopez recalled her own demoralizing experience with harassment when as a young law clerk she was introduced to a prominent (and now deceased) federal judge who promptly pinched her on the behind. She said the recent spate of allegations that have torpedoed the careers of Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota, Rep. Trent Franks of Arizona and others demonstrates just how widespread the problem is.
“I do not know a single woman that I have an intimate enough relationship with to talk about these issues who hasn’t experienced it — at least once but many times, multiple times,” Sedillo Lopez said, adding that “sexual harassment and rape and domestic violence have really shaped my sense of justice.”
Lately, Sedillo Lopez has been talking up a proposal to create a federal “sexual justice bureau” that would enable women who are harassed — but not necessarily in a work setting or in a way that would lend itself to legal recourse — to get help coping.
“They could come and find justice for themselves,” Sedillo Lopez said, envisioning the bureau as a centralized federal agency like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. “It might not be safe for a victim of sexual harassment to file a legal proceeding, but they need healing and help, and there might be other actions that would feel like justice to them.”
At a time when some men may feel confused about how to interact with women in this new climate of heightened sensitivity to harassment, Sedillo Lopez had some advice.
“The big difference between flirtation and harassment is consent,” she said. “The very simple guidance I certainly talk to men about is consent — look for the ‘yes.’ Flirtation is a two-way thing. If you’re talking to a woman and she’s not interested, move on. You’re not getting consent, and persistence isn’t going to change things.”
While the problem of sexual harassment is pervasive, Sedillo Lopez was quick to point out that the vast majority of men aren’t creepers.
“Most men are not like this … in my experience, there’s always maybe one, maybe two in an office,” she said. “But what I didn’t realize (until the recent explosion of high-profile harassment cases) was how prolific they were.”
She encouraged men who want to be a part of the solution to speak out when they see their male peers acting inappropriately with women.
“Men have been silent,” Sedillo Lopez said. “They just kind of go along, and the silence protected the few men who engaged in this behavior. It’s a really rare man who will see that and not just ignore it.”
Speaking of the 1st Congressional District race, Democratic candidate Damon Martinez — a former U.S. attorney for New Mexico — picked up a significant endorsement Friday when former U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman backed his campaign.
“Damon has the experience, he is committed to New Mexico, and he will work tirelessly for us in Washington,” said Bingaman, a Democrat who served New Mexico in the U.S. Senate for 30 years before retiring in 2012. “Damon will be a strong advocate for New Mexico’s working families, our children and those who are struggling.
“Damon’s commitment to the future of New Mexicans is proven,” Bingaman added. “His thoughtful and innovative approach toward policymaking is what the state and the country need. Damon will be a powerful addition to our delegation in Washington and I am proud to endorse him.”
Meanwhile, in the New Mexico governor’s race, Democratic candidate Jeff Apodaca is on the television airwaves with a new ad narrated by Sam Donaldson, the former White House reporter for ABC News who now lives in New Mexico.
The 60-second ad touts Apodaca’s plans to create 225,000 new jobs, invest in New Mexico schools and expand affordable health care by investing part of New Mexico’s $23 billion in reserve funds.
“I’m tired of hearing that New Mexico is broke,” Apodaca said in a press release announcing his new ad. “We’re not broke. We sit on 23 billion dollars in ‘rainy day’ funds. That’s money that we need to be investing back into New Mexico.”