Posted by Katie Feifer on 11/16/10 at 08:17:31 AM
The Southern Poverty Law Center, led by CounterQuo founding member Monica Ramirez, won a victory for immigrant workers when Tuscarora Yarns, Inc. of Mt. Pleasant N.C. agreed to enforce an improved sexual harassment policy as a result of a lawsuit filed by SPLC on behalf of a Latina woman who was brutally assaulted by her plant manager after she'd earlier reported his increasing sexual harassment to factory management.
Immigrant women are often more vulnerable than others to sexual harassment and assault in the workplace because their tormentors - frequently their supervisors - take advantage of their unfamiliarity with laws protecting them, their limited English skills, and their fear of retribution and deportation if they fight back against their perpetrators.
Ms Ramirez noted "No worker should ever have to endure such an ordeal. We took this action not only to protect future workers at this factory but to send a message to other employers that sexual harassment and sexual violence will not be tolerated in the workplace."
We applaud Lilia Ixtlahuaca Martinez for having the great courage to stand up to her abusers. We also salute Monica Ramirez and her partners at SPLC who worked tirelessly for justice in this case and who, with this victory, have made progress in putting companies on notice that harassment and sexual violence perpetrated against vulnerable workers will not be tolerated.