I am a victim of sexual harassment in the work place. I am employed in a State Attorney General's office, whom I am suing. I am in work place hell and not surviving well. I have worked in my office for more than 10 years as Director of Victim Services. I had never seen a sign or received a notice defining harassment till I filed suit, and I have still never had any training in the area. I think this is an outrage that the very office that is the keeper and protector of civil rights has violated me and withheld this information from me and my coworkers

Is there a women's group or agency who would be able to address this type of political negligence. I do not want this to happen to anyone else. The man who directly harassed me was, after my complaint and several others, was recommended by the Attorney General and accepted to a board of directors position on rape crisis and assigned to head the Attorney Generals sexual assault and domestic violence conference. This is a vile and distorted man who is knowingly gaining access to vulnerable women.

I am also looking for an expert who will be willing to testify in court as to the physiological effects this has on women.

I live and work in the state of Maine and would be thrilled if you could provide me with any help info and or suggestions. - Paula

Thanks for your note to Feminist.com and for sharing your case so that other people don’t have to suffer in a similar situation. Your pursuing this case will make it easier in the future for others to pursue theirs and for it not to happen in the first place.

I know this is a weird sense of comfort - and it’s really not comfort, but more information to fuel the fire - but similar to your experience there is a problem with police departments and the reporting of domestic violence wherein a woman goes to report the domestic abuse and the police station doesn’t respond because her abuser either works for the police station or is friend with people who work for the police station. Entirely unjust!

I have couple of suggestions:

Equal Rights Advocates, which is based in San Francisco. They should be able to help. Also, I just learned about the National Employment Lawyers Association and they might be able to help.

As for an expert witness, there is Vicki Schultz who is at Yale University, Catherine MacKinnon at the University of Michigan Law School. And possible Wendy Mink at the University of CA in Santa Cruz and also someone from NOW Legal Defense & Education Fund, 9to5: National Association of Working Women and the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission), which is the government organization responsible for handing sexual harassment cases.

Also, see the V-Day/Feminist.com Resource Guide and specifically the resources - including books and organizations - listed under "sexual harassment."

I hope these suggestions help. Good luck with your case.

—Amy