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Lawsuit: Two women sexually harassed by uptown apartment maintenance worker

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Two women say they were sexually harassed by a former maintenance worker at the Orchard Park Apartments in Uptown.

In the federal lawsuit, two women say the former worker groped them while he was in each of their apartments to make repairs.

One woman says the worker told her he would fix anything in her apartment if she had sex with him

The lawsuit says both women had reservations about reporting the harassment.

One worried nothing would get fixed in the apartment unless she played along.

The other thought the landlord wouldn't take the allegations seriously since the former landlord appeared close to the worker

"It's a really hard situation," Isaac Sturgill, attorney for the two women, said.

The two women are represented by Isaac Sturgill with Legal Aid.

Sturgill says what made this situation even more difficult is the two women were living in subsidized housing.

Charlotte's affordable housing crisis didn't make it easy for the two to leave

"It's even harder because it is not like you can pick up and move," he said. "You are paying part of the rent but it is not like you have the economic mobility to pick up and leave."

He says unfortunately sexual harassment of tenants happens more than people may realize.

Cases often go unreported out of fear or embarrassment

Sturgill says he is proud of these two women for speaking up

"What we see a lot of times when somebody has the courage to step forward and report this type of harassment it can inspire others to do so," he said.

The two women are suing the former landlord, former maintenance worker and the apartment complex. The defendants did not respond to a request for comment.

The two women are seeking damages and mandatory training for the apartment complex workers.

If you think you have been sexually harassed by a worker or someone in a position of power at your housing community, Legal Aid encourages you to call their hotline at 1-855-797-3247.

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