PEORIA, Ill. – A Washington landlord is accused of sexually harassing female tenants and housing applicants.
The U.S. Justice Department outlined the charges against Michael DeWitte in a civil rights lawsuit filed in Federal Court in Peoria.
The lawsuit alleges that since at least 2002 DeWitte subjected female tenants and applicants to unwelcome sexual harassment that included: sexual contact and comments about their physical appearances, offers to strip for female tenants, removing his pants while giving tour to a female housing applicant, exposing himself to female tenants, asking female tenants on dates, requesting sex in exchange for reduced rent or other housing benefits and evicting female tenants when they did not give in to his sexual advances.
“Landlords cannot use their position of power to sexually harass someone who simply wants a place to live,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clark of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division in a news release.
“No one should ever be asked to trade their body for a home,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris for the Central District of Illinois. “I urge other tenants alleging discrimination by DeWitte to contact my office. When landlords abuse their power and attempt to take advantage of the vulnerable in violation of civil rights laws, my office and the Justice Department stand ready to hold them accountable.”
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages to compensate those harmed by the alleged harassment, civil penalties and a court order barring future discrimination.
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