UFW could face lawsuits over Chavez sex abuse claims, attorneys say
Explosive sexual abuse allegations against farm labor leader Cesar Chavez could deal not only a reputational but also a financial blow to the union he founded.
The United Farm Workers could be liable for potentially significant payouts because of landmark legislation recently passed in California that gives victims of older sexual abuse cases a new window to come forward, several attorneys said.
John Manly, a prominent sexual abuse lawyer, said “liability could be automatic” for the notorious labor union that Chavez has led for decades.
“They don’t dispute that this happened,” said Manly, who served as lead attorney in the settlements against the USA Gymnastics doctor. Larry Nassar and USC gynecologist George Tyndall. “It’s a matter of who knows what and when.”
Over the past five years, California has significantly expanded the circumstances under which victims can file lawsuits for older sexual abuse cases.
This January one two-year window comes into force For adult survivors of sexual assault. The law addresses cases where institutions concealed abuse and “attempted to cover it up.”
MPs I also passed AB 218 In 2019, among other changes, victims of childhood sexual assault were allowed to file a lawsuit within five years of discovering a psychological injury resulting from the abuse.
The law opened the door to thousands of lawsuits against the Catholic Church, local governments and public school districts. L.A. County recently agreed to a settlement that will pay nearly $5 billion in compensation to more than 11,000 victims who say they were sexually abused in juvenile halls and foster homes. There are school districts almost spent Half a billion to resolve sexual abuse allegations.
Sexual abuse lawyers warn that the United Farm Workers, which Chavez co-founded, could be the next organization to see a wave of lawsuits, depending on how many victims come forward.
New York Times investigationThe article, published on Wednesday, contained detailed allegations that Chavez, a leading figure in the agricultural labor movement, sexually assaulted two underage girls in the 1970s and labor leader Dolores Huerta in the 1960s. The investigation left unanswered questions about what union members knew at the time; It was stated that some leaders were aware of Chavez’s “various allegations of sexual harassment for years.”
UFW voiced the allegations “Extremely shocking,” a statement said.
“We need some time to get this right, including ensuring robust, trauma-informed services are available to those who may need them,” the organization said. “We recognize this will be extremely painful for many, and we mental health support “If they have trouble.”
The union did not immediately respond to an inquiry about its potential legal liability.
Brian Claypool, an attorney who represents sexual abuse victims in California, said the labor union could be held liable if lawyers prove “members of the organization knew or should have known that Chavez was potentially abusing minors.”
He also called for a broader criminal investigation to determine whether others knew about the abuse and concealed it.
“Child sexual abusers in positions of power like Chavez rarely act alone,” Claypool said.
Luis Carrillo, a sexual abuse attorney who marched with Chavez during the farm worker rights movement, said the organization’s exposure will depend largely on whether the organization covers up reports of abuse.
Carrillo, who said he attended Chavez’s funeral in 1993, said his hero was forever tarnished.
“This is truly shocking, not only in terms of the allegations, but in terms of how the victims were ignored,” Carrillo said. “I’m sure someone has reported this before.”
