SAN DIEGO — Local organizations are responding to allegations that labor icon César Chávez sexually assaulted female followers as young as 12 in the 1970s and raped United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta in 1966, according to a New York Times investigation released this week.
The San Diego Community College District, which has a César E. Chávez Campus in Barrio Logan along César E. Chávez Parkway, said it is reviewing a potential campus renaming.
“These reports are deeply concerning, and our thoughts are with everyone impacted,” the district said in a statement. “SDCCD is committed to providing a safe, respectful environment for all, and we do not tolerate sexual misconduct or abuse of any kind. As we assess current and new information, SDCCD will prioritize feedback from our community and upholding our values of safety, dignity and respect for all.”
San Diego also has a major thoroughfare in Barrio Logan named after Chávez, and the San Diego Unified School District has an elementary school in Southcrest named after him.
The report was published one day after the United Farm Workers and the César Chávez Foundation announced they would abstain from honoring the late labor leader on this year’s César Chávez Day on March 31, citing “disturbing allegations.”
The Times reported its investigation was based on interviews with more than 60 people, including former aides, relatives and members of the United Farm Workers.
One woman alleged Chávez took her into his office when he was 45 and she was 13, kissed her and pulled down her pants. She said dozens of sexual encounters followed over the next four years, though she said none involved intercourse.
Another woman said she was 12 when Chávez groped her and 15 when he arranged for her to stay at a motel during a march through California, where she said he had sexual intercourse with her.
Both women were daughters of organizers who had marched alongside Chávez, according to the report, which also alleged Chávez used other women in the movement for “sexual gratification.”
The Times said the accounts were independently corroborated through interviews, documents, emails and other records from union organizers, supporters and historians.
Huerta, who turns 96 on April 10, told the newspaper Chávez drove her to a secluded grape field in Delano in 1966 and raped her in a vehicle. She said she did not report the attack due to concerns about police hostility toward Chávez and the labor movement, and fear she would not be believed.
“Unfortunately, he used some of his great leadership to abuse women and children — it’s really awful,” Huerta told the Times.
The allegations have shocked many who long viewed Chávez as a leading American civil rights figure and Latino icon.
U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, called the allegations “heartbreaking” and “horrific.”
“I stand with the survivors, commend them for their bravery in sharing their stories, and condemn the abhorrent actions they described,” Padilla said. “The survivors deserve to be heard. They deserve to be supported. They deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. There must be zero tolerance for abuse, exploitation, and the silencing of victims, no matter who is involved.”
The United Farm Workers and the César Chávez Foundation issued separate statements Tuesday saying they would not organize or participate in events celebrating Chávez this year.
The union encouraged supporters to instead take part in immigration justice efforts and acts of service supporting farmworkers and vulnerable communities.
The UFW said it had not received direct reports or firsthand knowledge of the allegations but described claims involving minors as “crushing” and said it is taking steps to learn more and provide support for potential victims.
The César Chávez Foundation said it is “deeply shocked and saddened” and is working to create a safe, confidential process for individuals to share their experiences.
Both organizations said they are developing trauma-informed support services and emphasized the need for accountability and healing.
Chávez died in 1993 at age 66.
Original article
Comments