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Politics

Joe Negron to 'Revisit' Senate Sexual Harassment Reporting Policy

October 30, 2017 - 4:45pm
Lauren Book, Joe Negron and Lizbeth Benacquisto
Lauren Book, Joe Negron and Lizbeth Benacquisto

Senate President Joe Negron announced he would would be “revisiting” a newly-publicized and highly controversial policy on reporting sexual harassment on Monday after a weekend full of criticisms.

Negron sent out a memo to Florida lawmakers Monday telling senators they would be able to report sexual harassment to anyone.

POLITICO Florida first reported about the new policy which said Senate employees would have to file sexual harassment complaints with their direct supervisor, the Senate chief of staff or the Senate president. 

In the past, Senate employees were allowed to report complaints of sexual harassment to their supervisors, the Senate president or the director of human resources of the Office of Legislative Services. 

Negron assured lawmakers they would not be limited in how they could report sexual misconduct or harassment claims in the memo sent out Monday afternoon. The Stuart Republican also said the Senate would take a "zero tolerance" policy for sexual misconduct or harassment.

“That list would include — but is certainly not limited to — their immediate supervisor, the Senate Chief of Staff, the Senate General Counsel, Human Resources within the Office of Legislative Services, and the Senate President," Negron wrote on who could be contacted with reports. "In addition to the Senate Administrative policies, the Senate Rules outline the process by which any person may file a sworn complaint with the Rules Chair alleging a violation by a Senator of the Rules regulating legislative conduct and ethics.”

Negron made the announcement on the policy Friday, the same day former Sen. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth, resigned after news reports broke of an alleged affair with a Tallahassee lobbyist.

Meanwhile, two female lawmakers spoke out on sexual harassment in a joint statement released Monday.

Sens. Lizbeth Benacquisto, R-Fort Myers, and Lauren Book, D-Plantation, said sexual misconduct “has no place in our world,” nor does it have a place in the work environment or “in the halls of power.”

Benacquisto and Book urged victims to speak out and make their voices heard as headlines of sexual harassment circulate daily. 

“Victims are made to feel ashamed, afraid, and uncertain of how this may impact their careers. They are made to bear a piece of this burden and the weight of the misconduct somehow becomes the responsibility of the victim,” they wrote. “That ends here. That ends today.

“We are here to say that you are not to blame," the legislators continued. "If you have been hurt or exploited, let your voice be heard. Come forward. Make a report and get the help you deserve to heal and to be protected. It is crucial that you find your strength and use your voice. As long as we are here, you will be heard, and we will do all that we can to help.”

Benacquisto and Book told victims to “be strong” and “be brave” as they push back against abuse, acknowledging that they, too, had been victims of sexual harassment. 

“We are your allies because sadly we can both say #MeToo,” they wrote, referring to the widespread social media movement of women acknowledging they’ve been sexually harassed or assaulted. “We understand what it means to be victimized, demoralized, and silenced in the face of sexual assault. We stand with you because we all deserve to feel safe and to be safe.”

 

 

 

Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.

 

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