One thing that is certain, which came out of the thousands of personal stories recounted on the MeToo Movement, is that sexual harassment is not limited to Hollywood producers, actors, and politicians. It can also happen in any workplace, anywhere, where one person has power and authority over another one.
It Can Happen in a Small Town
These allegations can occur even in lowly-populated rural areas such as the recent lawsuit filed in federal court in Waco, Texas. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Shirley Boger, alleges sexual misconduct by Sheriff Ricky Scaman. He is the county sheriff for nearby Falls County. Falls County only has about 18,000 people. The biggest town is Marlin, TX, where the sheriff’s office is located, with a population of around 6,000.
History of Sexual Abuse Allegations
The recent civil lawsuit by Shirley Boger is the second time Sheriff Scaman has been sued by a county employee alleging sexual misconduct. The first lawsuit was filed by Nanci Anderson in April 2018. She worked as an assistant chief deputy for Scaman. In Anderson’s suit, she alleges that Scaman subjected her to sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and created a work environment, which was so hostile that she was forced to quit.
Boger vs. Scaman
Boger worked as a dispatcher and jailer for the sheriff’s department. Sheriff Scaman was her boss. The lawsuit claims that Scaman has a history of discriminatory behavior against female employees who work for the sheriff’s department that he supervises.
In the suit, Boger claims that on one occasion Scaman invited her into his private office, closed the door, and asked her if she had been thinking about him. She also alleges that this type of encounter happened more than 20 times. Some of these times she claims he licked her face, groped her body, and then sexually assaulted her.
Scaman’s Defense
Scaman denies the claims. He refuses to comment on the case except through his attorney. His attorney says that Boger was terminated after she walked off the job, during the middle of a shift, while Scaman was on vacation in Mexico. There was no dispute alleged to have occurred with the supervisor in charge at that time, who was the chief deputy.
After Boger quit, she continued to exchange text message with Scaman. Scaman’s attorney says these communications do not reference any sexual misconduct. The defense attorney says it is inconceivable that the text messages would continue if Boger had been raped more than 20 times in the tiny sheriff’s office that is surrounded by other personnel.
