By Maya Dusenbery • @mayadusenbery • 10 years ago

Number of the Day: 18

Bob Filner

That’s how many women came forward accusing San Diego mayor Bob Filner of sexual harassment before he’s finally resigned.

Filner apologized for his behavior last month and checked himself into behavioral therapy, but refused to step down. (I mean, I’m all for people getting the help they need, but I’d be surprised if Filner has any problems that can’t be explained as Sexist Entitled Douchebag Syndrome.) Now, he’s apparently reached a deal in mediation negotiations and, after it is officially approved by the city council, is expected to vacate his office by the end of the week. 

In addition to harassing everyone from a spa owner to his former communications director, who is represented by feminist lawyer Gloria Allred in a lawsuit against him, Filner targeted several military sexual assault survivors. Yes, veterans. Veterans who had experienced sexual abuse and who looked to Filner as an ally and champion for veterans’ rights. “He preyed upon people who were vulnerable, who he knew nine times out of 10 would not speak up,” explained the president of the National Women’s Veterans Association of America.

Good fucking riddance.

Image via.

St. Paul, MN

Maya Dusenbery is executive director in charge of editorial at Feministing. She is the author of the forthcoming book Doing Harm: The Truth About How Bad Medicine and Lazy Science Leave Women Dismissed, Misdiagnosed, and Sick (HarperOne, March 2018). She has been a fellow at Mother Jones magazine and a columnist at Pacific Standard magazine. Her work has appeared in publications like Cosmopolitan.com, TheAtlantic.com, Bitch Magazine, as well as the anthology The Feminist Utopia Project. Before become a full-time journalist, she worked at the National Institute for Reproductive Health. A Minnesota native, she received her B.A. from Carleton College in 2008. After living in Brooklyn, Oakland, and Atlanta, she is currently based in the Twin Cities.

Maya Dusenbery is an executive director of Feministing and author of the forthcoming book Doing Harm on sexism in medicine.

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