My toxic workplace was racist & sexist. With ERA, my coworkers & I made lasting change.

September 14. 2019
Jasmine Deauville, former ERA client

Jasmine received free legal help from Equal Rights Advocates. If you’re experiencing sexual harassment or gender discrimination at work and you could use free legal help or advice, contact us by filling out this form.

Watch Jasmine’s and Terry’s story.

Content warning: Descriptions of severe harassment, stalking, racist hate speech.

Jasmine was sexually harassed, stalked, and targeted for racial and gender hatred at her first job at a restaurant. She was only 19. 

“I experienced so much because of being so young and not understanding what was happening to me. I was starting to blame myself… I was called a n***** so many times in that job, had things thrown at me, it was a lot. It finally hit me when I saw the camera looking at me as I was getting dressed, I couldn’t be in this place anymore where men were watching us get dressed, and saying these horrible things and touching us. It was horrible, and it was my first job.

I knew that if I didn’t do it, none of the other girls were going to do it, and I had to make sure that we weren’t going to go through that anymore. We shouldn’t feel sexually abused every day at work. 

I was nervous as hell to go into Equal Rights Advocates because I wasn’t even sure how I was going to pay my bills. They were not only able to advocate for me, but also Noreen was kind of like a mama bear. She would make you feel like this wasn’t the be all end all — you are better than that.

Honestly, coming out of that situation, if I didn’t walk in that door, I don’t know the kind of woman I would be now. To be my best self is a true feeling of freedom, which means I can breathe.”

Jasmine received free legal help from Equal Rights Advocates. If you’re experiencing sexual harassment or gender discrimination at work and you could use free legal help or advice, contact us by filling out this form.

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