Santa Barbara lawmaker Hannah-Beth Jackson is among the California leaders pushing to address the problem of sexual harassment at the State Capitol. Women have been coming forward since an open letter exposed an established culture of unwanted sexual advances from influential men.
“It’s very disappointing on the one hand but not particularly surprising on the other,” State Senator Jackson said. She noted it is important to define the term. “Sexual harassment is about power and the abuse of power and the subjugation of women."
“This kind of thing happens in all phases of life,” she added. "It’s a particular problem when there is a disparity [of power].” The Los Angeles Times interviewed 20 women involved in California politics about their experiences, which ranged from unpleasant to awful.