Los Angeles Congresswoman: I Was Harassed By Colleague

LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CA -- A Congresswoman representing Los Angeles County said she was harassed by a current member of Congress, according to a report by TheHill.com. Rep. Linda Sánchez told the news site she now makes it a point to never be alone with the colleague.

Sánchez said the harassment happened "years ago" and she "never filed an official complaint." She also encouraged other members to protect themselves against the colleague.

“When you are new to a workplace, you don’t always understand what the policies and procedures are, or what the avenues for reporting those kinds of incidences are,” Sánchez told TheHill.com. “Now I know you can file an ethics complaint."

The Democrat went on to tell the news site that victims "don’t come forward because of the fear of reprisal; the fear of losing their job and the economic impact of that; the fear of being blacklisted throughout their career."

Sánchez has served in the House of Representatives since 2003. She currently represents the 38th congressional district.

- Photo by Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press