I am nearly 96 years old, and for the last 60 years have kept a secret because I believed that exposing the truth would hurt the farmworker movement I have spent my entire life fighting for. As a young mother in the 1960s, I experienced two separate sexual encounters with Cesar. The first time I was manipulated and pressured into having sex with him, and I didn't feel I could say no because he was someone that I admired, my boss and the leader of the movement I had already devoted years of my life to. The second time I was forced, against my will, and in an environment where I felt trapped.
Far more troubling are allegations involving abuse of young women or minors. Allegations that very young women or girls may have been victimized are crushing. The union said in its statement that Chavez allegedly behaved in ways that are incompatible with our organization's values, and while some of the reports are family issues, there are more and significant allegations being made.
