Brookline Slammed For Publishing Details Of Sexual Harassment Cases

BROOKLINE, MA — The Town of Brookline has been called out by several residents, including a social worker within the police department, for publishing a report detailing the sexual harassment allegations against former Police Chief Ashley Gonzalez.

The residents spoke at Tuesday’s Select Board meeting, arguing that the town violated the victims by publishing the full 130-page inquiry into the cases and should apologize to the victims.

“I was deeply disturbed by the decision to disseminate the interview transcripts to the entire community, which, although redacted, are pretty transparent,” said Linda Roseman, Town Meeting Member and former Chair of the Police Commissioners Advisory Committee. "The women who came forward did so with a great deal of trepidation and it took a lot of courage to finally do so.”

Roseman said the victims had no idea the transcripts were going to be part of a press release published and disseminated by the town.

"Exposing them inn this way compounds the harm they have already experienced and victimizes them further,” she added. "I can only imagine how shocking and upsetting it was to see themselves portrayed to the entire community at their most vulnerable. To claim this was done in the interest of transparency is not a compelling argument for this decision, and I believe these women are owed an apology.”

Annabelle Lane, a BPD social worker, also came forward to speak out against the publication of the transcripts, saying that “there had to have been a better way."

“As a female employee of the department and a town employee generally, I am deeply disturbed by the way the entire situation with former Chief Gonzalez has been handled,”Lane said. “...I think anyone with a shred of empathy and awareness would realize that having the intimate details of sexual harassment spread far and wide to every major news network in the greater Boston area is a massive violation and re-traumatization.”

"I don’t know if this was malicious or just careless, but it’s equally damaging either way,” she added. “The message this sends to all town employees, especially those of a protected class, is that if anything happens, the leadership of the town cannot be trusted to maintain confidentiality and protect basic dignity.”

Lane also expressed concern that the town has not communicated about the next steps for police department leadership.

“The town has not supported stable, ethical leadership for the department and has just sent a clear message that if you’re a victim of harassment, the town is ready and willing to release the intimate details of those experiences to the world.”

In response to the complaints, Select Board Chair Heather Hamilton said the town only published public information and residents should focus on how seriously the town took the allegations.

"I can certainly understand why people, especially those involved, are upset,” Hamilton said in an email. "Our legal team believes all of the information we released last Friday is public information. We would have had to release that information days later as the Town already received at least one public records request asking for it. I hope we can focus on the fact that the Town took swift action upon hearing the multiple accusations against the Chief. It was very brave for these women to come forward."