CONTENT WARNING: Discussion of sexual harassment. If you have been sexually harrassed, or are not sure, there are several ways to get support. View options on campus through University Health Services.
City of Madison District 2 Ald. Julia Bennett released a statement on Instagram Thursday morning regarding complaints of hostility and harassment toward fellow District 18 Ald. Charles Myadze.
“My experience with Ald. Myadze was not a one-off,” Bennett wrote. “It was part of a disturbing pattern of harassment and retaliation both within and outside his capacity as an alder. Aside from me, three other women have come forward with similar accounts of unwanted sexual advances, followed by threats and retaliation.”
Three women, including Bennett, have reported Myadze for workplace misconduct. The investigation concluded only Bennett’s experience was substantiated, on the basis of a hostile work environment.
The City of Madison hired a Milwaukee law firm in April 2024 to investigate the three claims in accordance with the City’s harassment and discrimination complaint procedures, interviewing all three complainants, two potential witnesses and Myadze. The evidence was reviewed and determined that Myadze was no longer creating a hostile work environment, leading to the removal of the sustained status on Bennett’s report.
Bennett told The Badger Herald that she has to see Myadze regularly every other Tuesday at Common Council and professional events.
“I was a 22-year-old [when the harassment began] college student at UW-Madison, and this was my first professional environment.” Bennett said.
The outcome of the investigation was determined based on the Administrative Procedure Memorandum 3-5, the Prohibited Harassment and Discrimination Policy. The APM 3-5 serves as an outline of expectations towards items such as harassment and discrimination in the workplace.
While Myadze’s conduct toward Bennett was found to constitute harassment and create a hostile work environment under APM 3-5, it did not meet criteria for violations under state and federal laws, according to the 26-page report. The other two complaints were not found to meet the standards for harassment under APM 3-5 or state and federal laws.
This was the first investigation to take place since the Council updated its Council Code of Conduct in July 2024 to include examples of sexual harassment and defined a reporting process.
Council President Yannette Figueroa Cole released a statement November 13 regarding the investigations conducted against Myadze.
“The report reveals a troubling pattern of behavior we cannot overlook, detailing instances of unwanted and inappropriate behavior of a sexual nature that created significant trauma for all complainants,” Cole wrote.
Cole urged the importance of establishing a reporting process that ensures victims feel comfortable speaking up, according to Cole’s statement.
