A new lawsuit filed by an 86-year-old woman accuses the late labor leader Cesar Chavez of rape in 1973 at a United Farm Workers (UFW) compound and alleges that the union leadership covered up the assault. The unidentified accuser claims Chavez raped her at the union’s headquarters, Nuestra Senora Reina de La Paz, near Bakersfield, California, where she lived with her family.
The lawsuit, which also names nonprofit groups affiliated with the Chavez family and the UFW as defendants, alleges negligence, sexual harassment, and violations of state civil rights laws. According to the complaint, Chavez gave the woman alcohol and danced with her during a celebration at the compound. She stated she felt uncomfortable and retreated to a restroom. Upon returning home, Chavez allegedly summoned her to a room within her house and raped her.
Approximately three to four years later, the lawsuit states, Chavez allegedly called the woman to his house and forced her head down to his crotch. The suit claims that employees and individuals within the UFW were aware of Chavez’s alleged abuse but actively worked to shield his activities from public view. The accuser, now a resident of San Bernardino County, states she has suffered long-term consequences including depression, alcoholism, weight gain, and diminished sexual relations with her spouse. She is seeking present and future damages, including lost earnings.
This latest accusation adds to a series of allegations against Chavez. Previous claims include accusations of raping a 13-year-old girl and another woman who stated she was assaulted by Chavez at ages 12 and 15. Longtime activist Dolores Huerta, Chavez's close ally, has also alleged that he sexually assaulted her, a claim she had not previously made public.
Representatives for the defendants declined to comment on the most recent lawsuit to The New York Times. In March, the United Farm Workers stated that "the allegations about abusive behavior by Cesar Chavez go against everything that we stand for." In response to the revelations, several institutions, including streets and schools named after Chavez in California, have been renamed or are being considered for renaming. California lawmakers have also moved to eliminate Cesar Chavez Day.