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“INTRODUCTION OF BILL TO PROTECT VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE WORKPLACE” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E202 on Feb. 9, 2005.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
INTRODUCTION OF BILL TO PROTECT VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE
WORKPLACE
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HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY
of new york
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, February 9, 2005
Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, today I introduce a bill of great public importance to women in the workforce across the United States. The U.S. Justice Department estimated that from 2000 to 2002, the percentage of rapes and sexual assaults occurring at the workplace jumped from 2 percent to 10 percent of the total number of rapes and sexual assaults occurring in the United States yearly. Yet, many of these victims are told their only remedy is workers' compensation. When rape occurs on the job, employers should not be able to hide behind a system designed to compensate for job-related accidents. My bill sends a clear message: Rape is not all in a day's work.
This bill gives victims of workplace violence across the Nation a remedy outside the workers' compensation system. It does this by creating a Federal civil rights cause of action, under certain conditions, for employees who have been the victims of gender-motivated violence at work. This bill will not result in numerous and unwarranted lawsuits against small businesses. In fact, the legislation outlines very strict requirements regarding whether a case would fall under the purview of this bill. Workers' compensation is a great system--it has created an American workplace safe from industrial accidents. But the job isn't done. This bill will encourage employers to create a job environment free of violent sexual assault and rape, because it is a terribly sad day in America when rape is considered all in a day's work.
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