Single Mom Demands Justice After Alleged Workplace Assault

Tonight, a young mother is breaking her silence with a chilling story of workplace harassment and sexual assault. Twenty-nine-year-old Jessica Bencomo, a pharmacy assistant, took to social media to share her ordeal. She says that on October seventh, her boss tried to kiss her, despite her repeated protests. Jessica claims that when she reported the incident to her department, her concerns were brushed aside. And to make matters worse, she says police haven’t treated the case with the seriousness it deserves. Now unemployed and raising her children as a single mom, Jessica is calling on the Belize Police Department and the Pharmacy Association of Belize to step in and help her get justice. We spoke with her today to hear why she’s determined to make her voice heard.

 

Voice of: Jessica Bencomo, Alleged Sexual Assault Victim

“It was verbal harassment in the  beginning. It’s not something that happened  just the other day, but it, on October seventh, it got physical to the point where he was pulling me towards him and, trying to kiss me. And I shouted his name and I told him to stop and I told him no. To me, it just was a traumatic experience.

 

Britney Gordon

“Has anything like this ever occurred before? Were there other instances of harassment before the initial event?”

 

Voice of: Jessica Bencomo, Alleged Sexual Assault Victim

“I’d say verbal harassment only, but, never physical.”

 

Britney Gordon

“And did you report the incident? Was there anybody that you could report it to at the workplace, like HR or did you file a police report?”

 

Voice of: Jessica Bencomo, Alleged Sexual Assault Victim

“We don’t have hr. We only have a manager. But I never took it to the manager, I had a supervisor that I told. I felt uncomfortable, but that was about it. I thought that I had the situation under control and that he knew boundaries. I explained to him that he wasn’t somebody I was interested in, and I didn’t want to jeopardize the only job I have to provide for my kids. I made a report on the, like two days after. After I regained strength. And I said, you know what? I need to report this. Because I’m really scared. I am emotionally distraught. And after making the report, I was being addressed by one of the officers, but the leading officer that came in after she went blank, look at my statement and said, okay, this isn’t, sexual harassment. This is just common assault. And that right there made my entire mood. Just like, why  the hell am I even making a report for if this doesn’t even give me hope? They told me that he was going to be called in. And they also told me that he would be going to court yesterday, which I found that he didn’t go at all.”