Sanctuary for Families stands in unwavering solidarity with Dolores Huerta, Ana Murguía, Debra Rojas, and all survivors who have come forward with allegations of grooming, sexual abuse, and assault by the late César Chávez. We see you, we believe you, and we honor the profound courage it takes to speak out.
We are deeply disturbed by reports that survivors were discouraged from speaking out and that people close to Chávez allegedly failed to act on reports of sexual misconduct. Silence protects abusers and allows harm to continue.
No struggle for justice, rights, or liberation should accept women’s suffering as the price of progress. Time and again, women have been asked to shoulder both the trauma of abuse and the burden of protecting the reputation of the men who harmed them.
That is unacceptable. A social justice movement that asks survivors for silence betrays the very principles it claims to uphold.
May the courage of these survivors strengthen our resolve to confront abuse and hold perpetrators accountable, regardless of who they are or what they represent.
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