Woman Says She Was Sexually Harassed By Legislator Boss
A "sex" scandal is brewing in the Asamblea Legislativa (Legislative Assembly) as a male legislator is being accused of sexual harassment against a worker in the country's chamber of lawmakers.

A worker of the Asamblea Legislativa has come forth and made charges against a legislator that she was sexually harassed while she accompanied the legislator on a trip to the province of Limón, attending a meeting with of indigenous community leaders over a law proposal that is being discussed by the Comisión de Asuntos Sociales.

The woman, who has so far chosen to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals, said began to receive numerous and persistent calls to her cellular phone by the legislator. The incident dates back to August 4th, the woman said.

"We were on a tour of much of the work by the Comisión (de Asuntos Sociales). The tour was of Limón, leaving San José mid-day Friday. By the time we got the Saprissa stadium he began to call me"

"He began to question me where I was. I told him I was by the Saprissa and he asked me to stop that he would soon be there. Further on, he called me again and insisted that I stop and that we would meet at the first 'pulperia' - local variety store.

"His calls kept coming and insisting that I stop. I finally told him I would let him know if we could meet for a bite in Guapiles. He arrived at the stop and told be to join him in his private vehicle".

The woman said that along the way to Puerto Viejo, her boss, the legislator, made jokes, jokes that were beyond the tone of what is proper for an assistant. All weekend he kept insisting, making jokes and pressuring the woman for a sexual encounter.

The woman in telling her story said the legislator, on arriving back to San José, left her abandoned on the side of the road, in a fit of rage, as she continued to refuse his advances, telling him that she was a married woman and that his actions were improper and that she would denounce him. The woman said the legislator left her near the area of the La República, in the dark and the rain.

The woman said that on Monday the legislator told her that her job would be on the line if she reported him. On August 14th, the woman said she got a letter firing her immediately. The legislator refused to give time to look for other work and told her to vacate her office at once.

The woman said that she had seen the sexual advances from the legislator coming before the trip. She said that a co-worker told her that the legislator had asked that she arrange the sleeping arrangements so that they could be together. The woman said the co-worker had confided with her, morally beaten at the legislator's request.

The woman added that her husband visited the Legislative Assembly after learning of the sexual advances but the legislator added security around his office so that her husband could not confront him. The additional security can be verified by public records and others who work with the Comisión de Asuntos Sociales, said the woman.

The woman has yet to make a formal complaint, which would force the naming of the legislator. As such it is being treated as only a rumour as Antonio Ayales, executive director of the Legislative Assembly, said that authorities of the Primer Poder (First Power) have their hands tied.

Ayales affirms that the Legislature cannot act until the woman makes a formal complaint. "The administration cannot act because we have nothing to base a procedure. I discussed it with the legal department and the first thing they asked for is proof", said Ayales.

Notwithstanding, Ayales, added that an administrative process will be launched once the woman makes a formal complaint, which then the administrative sanctions can be applied to the legislator for sexual harassment.

If and when a formal complaint is made, the Corte Suprema de Justicia, would then take charge of the file and the investigation of a member or members of Supremos Poderes (Supreme Powers). The process is complicated and lenghthy, added Ayales.

For his part, Francisco Antonio Pacheco, president of the Legislative Assembly, maintains that there can be no investigation based only on a rumour, but said he will support any person who feels has been harassed.

Pacheco added that he feels a moral duty to do something but cannot on a rumour. And he added that he cannot go door to door asking is anyone has been sexually harassed.