Bob Filner: "'I hope to be in the position one day to be forgiven" |
The mayor of San Diego, California, has said he will attend "behaviour counselling" amid multiple allegations of sexual harassment. Seven women have now accused Bob Filner, 70, of unwelcome advances, some of them physical. The local Democratic committee voted by 34-6 on Thursday for the leader of the nation's eighth-largest city to quit. In a news conference, Mr Filner said his behaviour had been "inexcusable", but did not say he was stepping down. "I have apologised to my staff, I have apologised to the women I have offended," said the divorced 70-year-old on Friday. The former congressman went on: "I am responsible for my conduct and I must take responsibility for my conduct by taking actions so that such conduct does not ever happen again. "So beginning on August fifth I will be entering a behaviour counselling clinic to undergo two weeks of intensive therapy to begin the process of addressing my behaviour." 'Headlocks' Mr Filner's problems began two weeks ago when Donna Frye, a former councilwoman and onetime supporter, called on him to step down, saying she had evidence that he had harassed women. He responded with a video apology, calling his behaviour "inappropriate and wrong", declaring: "I need help." Then on Monday, Mr Filner's former communications director, Irene McCormack Jackson, filed a lawsuit against him and the city. She alleged he had asked her to work without underwear, told her he wanted to see her naked and put her in a "headlock" while making unwelcome advances. On Thursday evening, four prominent San Diegan women went public with their own detailed accusations on a local broadcaster. Veronica Froman, a retired rear admiral known as San Diego's "navy mayor", said Mr Filner once blocked her from leaving a room, ran his finger up her cheek and asked if she had a man in her life. The president of the city's port tenants' association, Sharon Bernie-Cloward, said Mr Filner had groped her on her bottom at an event last year. "I was left there startled and fearful," she was quoted as saying by US media. "In fact, I actually had someone walk me to my car that night." Patti Roscoe, a businesswoman who knew Mr Filner for decades, said he had placed her in a headlock numerous times, trying to kiss her on the lips. "I'd have to squirm to get away," she said. "And just as recently as a few months ago this happened. I turned and he just slobbered down my chin." A vote last week by the San Diego Democratic Party Central Committee for Mr Filner to quit ended in a 24-24 deadlock. But as very public accusers lined up to point the finger at the mayor, the committee took a firmer stance. "It speaks to the extent of the problem that the mayor has to address," said Francine Busby, the county party chairwoman. |
據(jù)英國(guó)廣播公司7月26日?qǐng)?bào)道,美國(guó)加州圣迭戈市市長(zhǎng)鮑勃?菲爾納(Bob Filner)日前被多名女性指控性騷擾,他宣布將接受“行為輔導(dǎo)”。 迄今為止,現(xiàn)年70歲的菲爾納共遭到7名女性指控,圣迭戈市的民主黨委員會(huì)在25日以34票贊同6票反對(duì)通過了要求菲爾納辭職的決議。 菲爾納在26日舉行的新聞發(fā)布會(huì)上承認(rèn)自己的行為是“不可饒恕”的,但并沒有表示會(huì)辭去市長(zhǎng)的職務(wù)。“我已經(jīng)向我的下屬道歉,也向那些我曾騷擾過的女性道了歉,”菲爾納說道,“我會(huì)對(duì)我的所作所為負(fù)責(zé),我要采取行動(dòng)避免類似情況再次發(fā)生,因此我決定從8月5日開始去行為輔導(dǎo)診所接受為期兩周的強(qiáng)化治療,以糾正自己的行為?!?/p> 7月11日,圣迭戈市前女議員唐娜?弗萊(Donna Frye)公開宣布手中握有菲爾納對(duì)女性進(jìn)行性騷擾的證據(jù),并要求其下臺(tái)。菲爾納在道歉視頻中承認(rèn)自己的行為是“不合適并且錯(cuò)誤的”,同時(shí)還表示自己需要幫助。 第一位站出來的受害人是菲爾納的前通訊主任艾琳?麥柯馬克?杰克遜(Irene McCormack Jackson),她在22日提交了一份指控菲爾納的訴狀。杰克遜在訴狀中表示,菲爾納曾要求她不穿內(nèi)褲上班,表示想要看她的裸體,此外還有過將她的頭夾在腋下等不當(dāng)行為。緊接著菲爾納的助手勞拉?芬克和摩根?羅斯也分別于23日、24日公開指責(zé)他。 25日晚,又有4名圣迭戈女子公開指控菲爾納。已退休的海軍少將維羅尼卡?弗羅曼(Veronica Froman)稱,菲爾納曾把她堵在房間里,把手指放到她臉上,問她生活里是否有男人。 圣迭戈港口租戶協(xié)會(huì)主席莎倫?伯尼?克洛沃德(Sharon Bernie-Cloward)稱,菲爾納曾在去年的一次活動(dòng)上摸她的臀部。“我感到很吃驚很恐懼,”她說道。 與菲爾納相識(shí)數(shù)十年的女商人帕蒂?羅斯科(Patti Roscoe)也表示,菲爾納曾多次夾著她的頭試圖親吻她?!皫讉€(gè)月前還發(fā)生過這樣的情況,我奮力抵抗才沒有讓他得逞?!?/p> 據(jù)悉,菲爾納是圣迭戈市20年來的首位民主黨市長(zhǎng)。該市民主黨中央委員會(huì)上周已經(jīng)就是否要菲爾納辭職進(jìn)行了表決,不幸陷入24票對(duì)24票的僵局。此后由于公眾一致將矛頭對(duì)準(zhǔn)了菲爾納,該委員會(huì)不得不再次進(jìn)行投票,最終做出了要求菲爾納辭去市長(zhǎng)一職的決定。 相關(guān)閱讀 紐約市長(zhǎng)候選人安東尼?韋納承認(rèn)“艷照門” (翻譯: Henrish 編輯: Julie) |