When she joined the legislature, Jackie Glass's legislator said she received a “security short”.
“I have been told who do not drink with, with whom he should not be alone and who to be careful for,” she said atFloorhouse floorIn 2024. The address of the spokesman Malance said, “I don't think you have the short one.”
Democrat discussed the ubiquitous culture of a sexual offense in the State House, which remains despite#Metoo MovementIn 2017 it will hit a critical weight.
MovedpoliticiansCelebrities and others across the country. The accusation of the accusation of harassment and misconduct, some of the years before, came to light – emphasized toxic culture where such behavior was perhaps uncontrollable and accepted as the silence that buried it.
Many state lawmakers responded by accepting or strengthening policies against a sexual offense. AsThe number of women's legislatorsIt achieves new heights, some say that state houses are less “boys”.
However, the accusation still appears – at the state leveland behind them.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Glass asked why she would encourage women to join legislative ranks when she felt little to change.
“I just don't know how we keep women – and well, frankly, people – safe when they feel as if it went hand in hand with work,” she said.
12 dozen lawmakers accused for 8 years
Since 2017Associated Press cataloged at least 147 state lawmakers in 44 countries who were accused of sexual harassment or sexual offense.
More than the third resigned or was excluded from the Office, and roughly the other third impacts faced, such as losing parties or leadership positions. At that time, a dozen executive officials of the highest state, including governors and general lawyers, also faced accusations of sexual abuse at that time and resigned the most.
In total, it includes accusations of incidents in and outside the state government. This includes the Minnesota Republican State Senator Justin Eichorn whoresigned on Thursday after being chargedwith the request of a minor for prostitution. The federal defender said on Thursday that Eichorn was still hiring a private lawyer.
Most of the accusations were reported inThe first two years of #MeTooBut since then there has been more.
In 2024 alone, AP reached at least 14 state lawmakers from a dozen states accused – about twice as much as in the previous year.
According to the National League of Women's Defense, which advocates the policy of sexual harassment in state houses and retains its own number,Republicans and Democrats are almost equally accusedAnd 94% of them are men.
New policies and training, but not always transparency
Survey of AP legislative chambers in each state, carried out from last November to January, found that about half updated theirThe policy of sexual harassmentover the past five years.
For example, the legislature of Nevada has expanded its definition of sexual harassment to include “visual” behavior – such as derogatory photographs or gestures.
And the General Assembly of Kentucky added to their list “Sexual Harassment”ethical misconduct“Several years after revealing that four legislators signed secret sexual harassment with employees.
At the beginning of #metoo, the AP survey found that about a third of legislative chambers did not require legislators to undergo sexual harassment training.
Almost all state lawmakers now offer it, although it is not always compulsory and the content, format and frequency differ.
Academic experts and groups for women's defense claim that frequent training is the best-work personally and with real life scenarios. While most chambers offer personal training, according to AP survey only about one third of national behavior every year.
However, not every legislative chamber is transparent about its policy or efforts to alleviate sexual harassment and misconduct.
The Oklahoma Senate and both chambers of the West Virginia legislative corps refused to provide AP their policies of sexual harassment and claimed that they were internal documents exempt from publication. The Mississipus Senate did not respond to requests for her written policy.
The Arkansas Senate is the only legislative chamber without a specific policy of sexual harassment, but the legal advisor of the Senate stated that it has an ethical law and authority discipline members.
The lawmakers in California created an independent body independent of the legislature to explore the reports of sexual harassment with the call line. However, the findings on the investigation shall be publicly published only if the complaint is found to be justified against the legislature or a high -level employee.
“If it's what is needed to keep people right, it's okay”
Legislators and others are divided about whether something has changed – and if so, why.
Rep. Abby Major, Pennsylvania Republican, says fellow men have treated women better after recentScandals of sexual harassment.
“I think men may be afraid to do anything to do a press conference,” Majora said, referring to her publication that he suggested it in 2022 in 2022 and followed her to her car. “If it's what is needed to keep people right, then it's okay. I'll be boogeyman.”
Michigan Democratic State Senator Mallory McMorrow, who filed aA complaint of sexual harassmentHe said against the Republican State Senator Peter Lucid in 2020 that the improvements were less common to politics and more related to the fact that he is in charge of more women.
“According to our nature, we have changed how the legislature works,” she said.
Lucido did not answer the request for comment.
According to data led by the American Women and Policy at Rutgers University, the number of lawmakers of female state lawmakers saw in 2018 from the 90's, which was largely driven by the success of democratic womenIn that year Midterms. Women now occupy 33% of all legislative seats across the countryRepresentation according to the status differs.
Others still see sexism, especially in the chambers of the Republican majority of men controlled.
“Sometimes it seems that we should just smile more and not be disturbed and not doubt.
Come sometimes has different consequences
Even with updated policies of sexual harassment and cultural shifts, the decision to report is full.
Reports of incorrect conduct can be solved by a third party or more often, ethical commissions or guidance with bail. According to the National Defense League, applicants are often considering which leaders and parties are in power.
“It is a political workplace, and therefore there are problems of harassment inside the state house by their nature,” said Emma Davidson Tribbs, founding director NWDL.
Experts claim that a third party is essential to ensure fair investigation and support for reporting.
According to AP survey, only about one quarter of legislative chambers require if these complaints are made. Dozens of others allow external investigations based on the discretion of legislative leaders.
Oregon's legislative stock office that investigates complaints found in itsannual reportAt the beginning of this month that legislative employees addressed the office more than any other group.
The Oregon Democratic State Senator Sara Gelser Blouin was one of the two female legislators who filed complaints about the undesirable touch of a colleague by a senator in 2017.
“I still remember when I first turned on the radio and heard my name and people talking about my breasts or thighs,” she said. “It seemed to me very, very invasive. And it gave me much brighter why people don't create their complaints or why they don't come.”
Despite legal protection against retaliation, the reputation and career of the plaintiffs often intervene after arrival.
Gabrielle Brock, the then communication employees for the Democrats of the Senate Indiana, was 23, when she and three other women accused the CEO of Curtis Hill, Republican, Republican, of the then CEOgrop them at the 2018 party. Their accusations led to incorrect conduct before the Supreme Court of State andHill's Law license was suspended for 30 days.
Hill, who denied the accusation, lost his re -offer by 2020 and then unsuccessfully carried out the governor in 2024.
As a result, Brock and other women left their work in Statehouse.
“I felt as if the story was overshadowed by any work I did for the state, for my case at that time,” Brock said.
Brock found a passion for work in the government, but says Statehouse's environment was too unpleasant to work.
“Every woman had a story about some inappropriate interaction, especially with the chosen official,” she said.
Womendropped a lawsuitAgainst the hill last December, who said that through their lawyer they feel that the court would not bring any relief – monetary or otherwise.
When Hill reached out, he called the original accusation “vague” and “thin”.
“We blame bad people”
Men still make up two -thirds of all state lawmakers in the US, although #MeToo has primarily focused on female voices, some say that their counting has given them space to join women in discussion about misconduct and recognition of more work.
Republican prosecutor Mark Schreiber of Kansas, who joined the legislator in 2017, said he saw the ethos “Boys will be boys” when he began to come to Statehouse decades ago as the Executive Director of the company. This later retreated to recognize harassment – and at the same time accuses women.
In recent years, men have realized, “We blame bad people,” and “we must correct the behavior of these men.”
The advocates and legislators hope that the improvement continues and claims that the hostile working environment remains sufficiently ubiquitous to prevent women from the office.
“When men apply to the office, the point is whether they can do this job,” said Erin Maya Quade, a democratic senator of Minnesota. “When women run to the office, it's probably much more.”
Many people challenge overall progress #metoopointing out the accusation of sexual abuse against several nominated candidates for the Cabinet of President Donald Trump and the President himself – many of them denied them.
“He sends the message of normalization on this kind of behavior,” said Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics.
“I think things are better than them. I think the MeToo movement had an impact,” she added. “But this momentum must remain because it will not only be repaired in a few years.”
This story was originally listed on Fortune.com
