Sexual assaults are said to have taken place in the Hessian Left Party for years. That’s going out a report from the news magazine The mirror out. The executive state executive of the Left Party described the reporting in a statement on Friday as “shocking”. “The allegations made are taken very seriously.” The party became aware of this at the end of November 2021 and has since begun to “work it up at all levels”.
Federal chairwoman Janine Wissler firmly opposed the fact that “I am accused of having protected anyone”. According to the report, at the time of the incidents, Wissler was the leader of the Left Party parliamentary group in Hesse and was in a relationship with one of the suspects. Witnesses accused her of initially not responding to reports of the attacks and then not forwarding them to the party.
The allegations were discussed on Twitter under the hashtag “#linkemetoo”. There are documents such as chat histories, photos or e-mails as well as affidavits from those affected with references to “suspected border crossings, abuse of power and a toxic macho culture,” reported The mirror after interviews with ten women and men. “An influential member of the Wiesbaden Left Party” in the Hessian state parliament took photos and videos of an underage woman in sexual poses. She later reported the politician for coercion and insult.
Wissler stressed that she takes allegations of sexual harassment very seriously
Wissler said she knew one of the two women involved. This informed her in 2018 “that she had a sexual relationship with my partner at the time”. After this revelation, she ended the relationship. In none of the subsequent contacts with her “was the allegation of sexual abuse or sexual violence raised,” says Wissler. Nor was she asked for help.
In the other case, she received an Instagram screenshot in November 2021, Wissler explained. In it, a young woman who she does not know personally stated “that a few years ago she had been sexually abused by a member of the Wiesbaden Left Party and sexually harassed by a member of the Wiesbaden SPD.” Wissler emphasized that she takes allegations of sexual harassment, sexual violence and abuse very seriously and acted immediately when she became aware of such allegations. The party executive set up a trust group in October 2021 as an aid to those affected.
“Sexualized violence and sexism must have no place in our party,” said the statement by the Hessian state executive. The allegation of perpetrator protection is rejected. Those affected were offered talks and “a comprehensive code of conduct” was decided. The Wiesbaden district association is organizing a workshop on “Sexism Sensitization”. The appointment of one or more persons of trust is planned for the next meeting of the state board on April 30.
The Left Youth Solid, which is associated with the party, spoke of a “slap in the face to the entire movement” and called for a “credible feminist change in the party”. Left youth federal spokesman Jakob Hammes also called for “the resignation of all people involved who are perpetrators or who knew about the crimes and who covered them”.