DENVER, Colo. — Following allegations that labor and civil rights leader César Chávez sexually abused young girls and fellow activists, local leaders are grappling with what it means for survivors to come forward — even years later.
Natasha Adler works daily with survivors of sexual assault at the Rose Andom Center and said it's a heavy burden to carry for all of those years.
"There’s so much blame around it. I'm a survivor of sexual assault, and I didn't come forward for a decade, and a lot of survivors choose to do the same," Adler said.
Labor rights leader Dolores Huerta is the latest person to come forward with sexual assault allegations against Chávez, after an explosive New York Times investigation this week revealed allegations that he had groomed and sexually abused young girls while he led the United Farm Works union in the 70s.
“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," Huerta wrote in a statement posted on Medium.
▶️ Watch: Denver7's Adria Iraheta talks with Natasha Adler on what it means for sexual assault survivors to come forward
Adler said it's harder for women to come forward when someone in power is involved.
Organizations like the Rose Andom Center provide resources ranging from mental health services to legal protection orders, housing and basic needs to help survivors, should they choose to come forward.
"There's backlash," Adler said. "You could lose your job. You could be labeled as a home-wrecker. You could be labeled as a career-wrecker. You could be responsible for tearing down somebody's good name."
Already, the City of Denver has announced that it will rename a park and the holiday named for Chávez; the mayor said Thursday that his administration will a start a community process engaging Latino labor rights leaders, possibly including Huerta, “to have a thoughtful conversation” about how the renamings.
Denver
Denver will rename César Chávez park, holiday following sexual abuse allegations
Other places bearing Chávez's name across the city and state could be renamed, too. The Associated Press identified more than 130 locations or objects in at least 19 states named after Chávez.
The University of Northern Colorado, for example, has a cultural center named after Chávez.
"The university is reviewing this matter and will evaluate appropriate next steps consistent with university policies and consultation with campus stakeholders," campus officials told Denver7.
As the community continues to come to terms with the allegations, CU Boulder Professor of Chicano Studies Arturo Aldama said he hopes it will help inspire change.
"Maybe this will, I don't know, inspire more survivors to come forward.… not just protect, you know, these kind of revered individuals," Aldama said.
Adler ended with a reminder to all survivors.
"If you're not ready to share your story because it isn't your time, that is also okay, but you never have to protect your abuser," she said.
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