A woman who alleges she was sexually abused by her Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services case manager is suing the county, alleging among other things that he offered her $1,000 for sex and said he would withhold her public benefits if she resisted his demands.
The plaintiff is identified only as Jane L.C. Doe in her Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages and alleges negligence, sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The case manager is not a defendant in the suit.
A county representative said the DPSS had no comment on the suit.
The case manager was assigned to Doe’s case in November 2023 and was in charge of helping her get her public benefits, according to the suit, which further states that the alleged wrongdoing began five months later when the man engaged in inappropriate touching, commented on her body and asked for videos of her figure.
The case manager offered Doe $1,000 for sexual favors and told her that her the benefits would be denied if she did not comply with his demands, the suit states.
The alleged harasser lured Doe to his office by falsely telling Doe he had some of her documents there, according to the complaint.
DPSS management knew or should have known about the case manager’s alleged conduct with Doe and other public benefit recipients and failed to protect those victims, the suit states.
Doe now has trouble interacting with others, including in family relationships, which limits her ability to place trust and confidence in people, according to the suit, which additionally states that she also suffers from emotional distress, anxiety, nervousness and fear.