Women in Vermont Statehouse say: 'Me too'

Rep. Sarah Copeland Hanzas was in her first term as a legislator when, in a post-adjournment moment of milling about on the House floor, an older lawmaker put his hand on her rear.

It wasn’t particularly provocative, the Bradford Democrat said. She didn’t immediately tell anyone or do anything about it.

The second time, it happened in the cafeteria: “a very intentional hand on my ass,” she said.

That time, Copeland Hanzas took the story to party leadership. And it never happened again.

In the wake of allegations that Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein engaged in a decades-long pattern of sexual harassment and abuse, women have come forward to describe workplace misconduct across many industries — including in statehouses around the country.

Read more: https://vtdigger.org/2017/11/07/women-vermont-statehouse-say/#.WgK0EXZryuA