sexual-harrassment

State Rep. Donna Bullock, D-Philadelphia, speaks at a news conference at the state Capitol on Monday, 3/29/22 (Capital-Star photo by John L. Micek)

House ethics panel prepares to take complaints as lawmaker accused of harassment officially resigns

BY: - March 16, 2023

A special election for former Democratic Rep. Mike Zabel's Delaware County seat is set for primary day on May 16.

COMMENTARY
Pennsylvania Capitol Building. May 24, 2022. Harrisburg, Pa. (Photo by Amanda Berg, for the Capital-Star).

I’m an abuse survivor. The Pa. General Assembly has to do better | Opinion

BY: - March 14, 2023

Changing and updating legislative rules are just the beginning -- not the end -- of addressing the issue.

Pa. Rep. Mike Zabel resigns under growing pressure from sexual harassment accusers

BY: - March 8, 2023

Pennsylvania state Rep. Mike Zabel, D-Delaware, told House Speaker Joanna McClinton, D-Philadelphia, on Wednesday that he would resign in the wake of sexual harassment allegations from multiple women. 

Pennsylvania Capitol Building. May 24, 2022. Harrisburg, Pa. (Photo by Amanda Berg, for the Capital-Star).

Women accuse Pa. state rep. of misconduct as House adopts new rules on sexual harassment

BY: - March 1, 2023

House Republicans, critical of the Democrats' move to block amendments, said the sexual harassment rules don't go far enough.

The ceiling of the main Rotunda inside Pennsylvania’s Capitol building. May 24, 2022. Harrisburg, Pa. (Photo by Amanda Berg, for the Capital-Star).

Lobbyist’s harassment claim shines new light on efforts to hold Pa. lawmakers accountable

BY: - February 5, 2023

A union lobbyist’s allegation of sexual harassment by a sitting member of the Pennsylvania House has again highlighted the need for comprehensive sexual harassment policies in the General Assembly, lawmakers advocating such rules say. Andi Perez, a lobbyist for the Service Employees International Union 32BJ, said last month that she was touched inappropriately by a […]

The New Jersey Senate voting during its session on 2/2/23. (Hal Brown for New Jersey Monitor).

N.J. lawmakers pass bill to make ‘sextortion’ a crime

BY: - February 5, 2023

TRENTON, N.J. —  Using sexual images to extort victims could soon become a crime in New Jersey after lawmakers in the Senate unanimously passed legislation last week to criminalize “sextortion.” Sextortion can involve someone hacking into a person’s computer or phone to steal sexual material and threaten to distribute it, or coercing a victim into taking […]

Wolf announces four bills aimed at expanding Pa.’s ‘It’s On Us’ initiative

BY: - October 18, 2021

In 2016, Pennsylvania established its own branch of the national “It’s On Us,” an organization aimed at preventing sexaul assault on college campuses and at schools, under the Wolf administration. However, Wolf noted Monday that it’s time to do more. 

Wolf calls for New York Gov. Cuomo to step down over sexual harassment

BY: - August 4, 2021

An independent investigation released Tuesday found Cuomo had sexually harassed female staffers, including a former state trooper assigned to his security detail.

Grand jury recommends no charges against ex-state rep. accused of sexual assault but pushes Legislature for reforms

BY: - August 26, 2019

Brian Ellis, who served in the Pennsylvania House from 2002 until resigning in March of this year, was accused of drugging and sexually assaulting a woman in 2015.

Compulsory sexual harassment NDAs would be banned under advancing state House bill

BY: - June 4, 2019

Update, June 11: The legislation passed the House 199-0 on Tuesday. It will now go the Senate for consideration. Original post By a unanimous vote, the Pennsylvania House Labor & Industry Committee advanced a bill on Tuesday that prevents employers from forcing workers to sign non-disclosure agreements that stifle sexual harassment investigations. The bill, sponsored by […]

COMMENTARY

#MeToo: Here’s what Americans had to say about their experiences and beliefs | Analysis

BY: - May 14, 2019

The U.S. needs to prioritize its prevention for the benefit of all, regardless of gender, a scholar suggests.

Can the Pa. Legislature be trusted to investigate its own #MeToo allegations?

BY: and - February 6, 2019

There is still no system to investigate sexual harassment complaints uniformly in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Bipartisan lawmakers are floating proposals to change that.