Epstein and Swalwell got the headlines — sexual harassment and violence got buried

How is it that recently-resigned Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) was a leading contender for California governor, despite widespread knowledge that he sexually harassed young women in politics — and even though he was allegedly doing much worse than that? As one of the women who helped bring him down reflected in The Washington Post: “This is a post-Epstein world and a post-#MeToo world, so you’d think we should have learned.”

As a society, we should have learned that there are significant obstacles to victims of sexual harassment and assault coming forward, and that we need to make it easier to hold people accountable. Over 70 percent of people who complained about workplace sex harassment faced retaliation, such as termination, defamation lawsuits or denial of promotions. Of those who identified their alleged harassers, 37 percent said the perpetrator was not held accountable.

It’s just too easy for perpetrators to get away with sexual misconduct and too hard for victims to get justice.

In light of this lesson, it is disturbing to see a larger pattern that has received far less attention than the Jeffrey Epstein files or Swalwell fiasco: The federal government — which should be a leading actor in preventing and redressing such wrongs — has been quietly dismantling the tools that protect people from sexual harassment and assault.

In January, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission — the federal agency charged with enforcing workplace civil rights law — voted to rescind its Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace, a........

© The Hill