FRESNO, Calif. — An 86-year-old woman and former colleague of the late civil rights activist Cesar Chavez brought forward a lawsuit accusing the Chavez family and nonprofits tied to Chavez of negligence and sexual harassment.
The plaintiff, referred to in the lawsuit filed in Kern County as simply “Jane Doe,” filed a total of six claims over alleged abuse she suffered in the 1970s.
She became a resident of La Paz in 1970, the compound in the Tehachapi mountains where Chavez and the United Farm Workers ran operations as the union grew to one of the biggest and strongest in the country.
The plaintiff details in her lawsuit that she worked in various support roles for the UFW through 1983.
The plaintiff claims that, in 1973, Chavez forced alcohol on her on one occasion and danced with her at a party. She hid in a bathroom, but says Chavez then pulled her onto a bed and raped her.
She claims abuse took place again in 1976 or 1977 after Chavez invited her to his house in La Paz where he pulled her head down to his private area.
The woman avoided Chavez after that, only engaging with him in public settings or board meetings.
“Our client has had to live with this for a decade and has suffered in silence,” civil rights attorney V. James DeSimone, who is representing the woman, told KVPR. “It's important to recognize that no cause or movement is above the law.”
The lawsuit was filed in Kern County and the plaintiff made a request for a jury trial. This is the first known lawsuit stemming from an explosive New York Times story this spring that Chavez sexually abused girls and women during his rise as a union leader.
One of Chavez’ victims is fellow civil rights leader Dolores Huerta who revealed earlier this year that she gave birth to two children after assaults by Chavez. Huerta is currently a resident of Bakersfield where the UFW Foundation is located.
The farm labor movement led by Chavez has strong ties to the Central Valley. Chavez and his family lived in Delano for nine years and the UFW Union Headquarters is located in Keene.
The plaintiff in the new lawsuit is seeking monetary compensation for her claims of sexual abuse, from which she says she continues to experience distress.
The lawsuit claims, “employees and others there within UFW were aware of the
abuse but failed to respond to this knowledge in any manner.”
It also alleges that members of the organization allegedly protected Chavez and kept other instances hidden.
The UFW Foundation and the Cesar Chavez Foundation are named as defendants. A statement from the Cesar Chavez Foundation to the New York Times said officials were reviewing the lawsuit.
The lawsuit, which details abuse from decades ago, was filed in part because of Assembly Bill 250 – which took effect in January. The bill opened a two-year window so previously expired sexual assault claims can be filed until the end of 2027.
A number of institutions, including churches and schools, have faced lawsuits from plaintiffs who have taken advantage of the bill.
DeSimone, the attorney representing the Chavez accuser, hopes that this lawsuit allows other victims to come forward.
