"There were years that I didn't think about it. I put it in a box, and I locked it and I hid it. You're taught when you're little and you're taught in that movement [shush sound] I didn't let myself think about it before. I would say that now, presently, I'm dealing with that. It's a process, and I'll probably have to work on it the rest of my life."
"He had a way with words. I appreciate your applause, but it's kind of commercial. Well, let me teach you how we do it in the farm worker rallies. Together! [clapping] He had a way with talking to people. Even as teenagers, kids, and I felt like he understood us, me. We felt special."
"I can't say the r-word. I've said abuse and molest, but I can't say it. It's too hard for me. He said, If somebody knew, if somebody ever found out, you know I'm going to go to jail, right? You what they're going to do to me, right? They're going to put me in prison."
Debra Rojas, now 66, has come forward to share her experience of sexual abuse by Cesar Chavez, which began when she was 12 years old. She describes how she compartmentalized the trauma for years, stating that she is currently processing the impact of these events. Rojas recalls Chavez's charisma and the sense of honor she felt being chosen to participate in marches. Despite his influence and support for farmworkers, she struggled with the fear of his threats regarding the consequences of disclosure, which left her feeling terrified and frustrated.
Read at www.nytimes.com
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