Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) shared a personal story of sexual harassment in a video Friday and called on her colleagues to do the same.
In a video posted to YouTube, Speier said that when she was working a congressional staffer, she was harassed by the chief of staff, who she said held her face, kissed her and stuck his tongue in her mouth.
“I know what it’s like to lie awake in bed at night wondering if I was the one who had done something wrong,” she said. “I know what it’s like years later to remember that rush of humiliation and anger.”
Speier called her account a “Me Too” story, referencing the social media campaign #MeToo, where women have used the hashtag to identify themselves as having experienced sexual harassment or assault to demonstrate the pervasiveness of the problem after several high-profile scandals in recent weeks.
{mosads}She used the video to launch “#MeTooCongress,” urging Congressional staffers and former staffers to come forward with their stories in an effort to “bring justice” for other survivors.
“Congress has been a breeding ground for a hostile work environment for far too long,” Speier said. “There is nothing to fear in telling the truth, and it’s time to throw back the curtain on repulsive behavior that until now, has thrived in the dark without consequences.”