Rep. Teresa Tanzi, who alleges that, “I have been told sexual favors would allow my bills to go further,” was among the legislators who revealed via social media that they had experienced sexual harassment or assault, joining a chorus of voices rippling far beyond the widening Hollywood scandal involving film mogul Harvey Weinstein.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Dozens of Rhode Island women added their voices to the chorus Monday posting “me too” on their social media sites in a move of solidarity with victims of sexual assault and harassment.

The #MeToo movement began Sunday afternoon when actress Alyssa Milano, of “Charmed” fame, posted a message on Twitter, hoping to shine light on the number of women who have been harassed or assaulted. She posted it after Harvey Weinstein, producer and film executive, was accused of sexual violence and misconduct by many actresses and former assistants.

“Suggested by a friend: ‘If all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote ‘Me too’ as a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem,’” Milano posted over the weekend.

Then came the flood. Thousands of messages ranging from the personal — with detailed accounts of rape or harassment — and the simple “Me too” dominated social media feeds and headlines Monday.

Political leaders in Rhode Island, including state representatives Teresa Tanzi, Katherine Kazarian, Bobby Nardolillo and former state Rep. Linda Finn, joined in with their own messages.

And in an interview with The Providence Journal, Tanzi, D-South Kingstown, made allegations that left many of her colleagues feeling disturbed.

“I can say that as an elected official, as a state representative I have experienced this first-hand,” Tanzi said. “I have been told sexual favors would allow my bills to go further.”

Tanzi, who was elected in 2010, declined to identify the person involved. But she said it was “not someone who was my equal ... it was someone who had a higher-ranking position.”

She never reported the harassment, she said, because she was afraid she would not be taken seriously.

“I am a happily married woman and have not put out any signals,” said Tanzi. “I’m sure if that person were to be asked, as often is the case in this situation, they would say, ‘Oh I was just joking, certainly didn’t mean it.’”

But it is not funny, Tanzi said, and regardless of the individual’s intent, it is inappropriate for the workplace. She notes that during three decades in the workforce, she’s faced harassment at every job — from waitress to state representative.

Tanzi serves on a number of committees, including House Finance, Oversight and Small Business.

Chairs of these committees and colleagues responded in a word: “shocked.”

Rep. Marvin Abney, D-Newport, chairs the House Finance Committee, where Tanzi is the second vice chair. Reached by phone, he said he is “shocked and dismayed.”

“If true, that kind of behavior needs to be weeded out ... that’s wild,” he said. “I would go to bat for her any day, but she never mentioned it to me.”

He trailed off: “Geez ... this hits so close to home. That’s amazing. I wish I could say more.”

Rep. Kenneth Marshall, D-Bristol, also works on the finance committee with Tanzi. He said he’d “never witnessed or heard anything” similar to Tanzi’s claims.

But he added: “With what’s going on in society, I can’t be shocked by anything anymore.”

Rep. Patricia Serpa, D-West Warwick, and Rep. Deb Ruggiero, D-Jamestown, who chair the Oversight and Small Business committees, respectively, both said they had never experienced harassment at the State House.

“Maybe I’m not that attractive,” Ruggiero joked. “But it is unconscionable. We are all elected officials. Nobody is greater or more important than anybody else.”

Reached for comment, Speaker of the House Nicholas Mattiello said: “I and the members of the House of Representatives have no tolerance for any type of harassment, sexual or otherwise.”

Nardolillo, a Republican from Coventry, wrote in a direct Twitter message to The Providence Journal: “I'm not just a supporter, I'm a victim of sexual assault as a child. I stand proudly as a survivor to fight against these awful acts and people." He did not respond to telephone and Twitter messages asking for additional information.

Kazarian, an East Providence Democrat, did not respond to a phone call requesting comment. On Twitter she wrote: “Love how this campaign is empowering people across the globe to tell their stories. We are stronger together.”

Finn, who also posted "me too," said she was referring to her experiences in the private sector. But on hearing Tanzi's story, she said: "I'm not surprised."

— jtempera@providencejournal.com

(401) 277-7121

On Twitter: @jacktemp

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