L.A. Civil Rights, Feminist Groups Rally Behind Hill : Reaction: The coalition criticizes GOP senators’ attacks on Thomas’ accuser. Its members include women claiming sexual harassment.

Civil rights groups, feminist organizations and women claiming sexual harassment rallied to the support of Anita Faye Hill in Los Angeles on Monday, saying the law professor has been treated like a criminal for leveling allegations of sexual harassment against Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas.

“The proceedings show us why a woman would be crazy to come forward,” Barbara Hadsell, an attorney specializing in sexual harassment cases, said Monday at a press conference.

Hadsell and representatives of the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Council of Jewish Women, the California Women’s Law Center and other groups criticized Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee who have suggested Hill concocted her allegations. They urged senators to vote against Thomas’ confirmation today.

“Like women who have been raped and who seek some justice in the criminal courts, it is Prof. Hill and not Judge Thomas who, in these hearings, found herself on trial,” said James Lafferty, executive director of the Los Angeles chapter of the National Lawyers Guild.

Lafferty criticized Republicans on the committee for attacking Hill and accused Democrats of “doing nothing but watch as this woman is thrown to the lions.”

Abby Leibman, managing director for the California Women’s Law Center, said she believes members of the all-male Senate committee are ignorant about issues of sexual harassment and should have called for expert testimony.

“Without such understanding, the senators cannot accurately or adequately explore the statements of witnesses; they cannot appreciate what information is relevant; they cannot understand what is a reasonable reaction to sexual harassment,” she said.

Robin Schneider of the California Abortion Rights Action League, said she was disgusted at suggestions by Thomas, who has denied the allegations, and others that Hill was used as a “pawn” by liberal special interest groups trying to block Thomas’ confirmation.

“American women are not going to stand for a whitewash or some crazy conspiracy theory when it comes to allegations of sexual harassment,” she said.

Schneider said women will be watching closely how senators vote on the Thomas nomination. “We will take action at the polls, where it counts,” she said. “The senators have been put on notice.”

Also joining the coalition voicing support for Hill were two women who claim they also have been victims of sexual harassment in the workplace.

One of the women, Rebecca Munoz, a 21-year-old Van Nuys resident, said she was fired from her job at a food distribution company in Chatsworth after complaining about sexual harassment by her supervisor. “I’m glad it’s come out,” she said, referring to Hill’s allegations. “I know what she went through and worse.”

Munoz, who claims her former boss said “gross things” to her and grabbed her on one occasion, has filed a sexual harassment lawsuit. An attorney for the company said Munoz was not harassed and was let go because she was a temporary employee.

The other woman, Tina Villarreal, declined to provide details about her sexual harassment lawsuit but said the treatment of Hill is “an injustice to women and humanity.”