DuPage lawmaker says she was sexually harassed at work – Shaw Local

A DuPage County deputy is suing the sheriff, two former deputies and the county, alleging she was sexually harassed in the workplace and retaliated against for complaining.

Yitzel Mansour filed suit Monday against Sheriff James Mendrick, Sergeant (ret.) Curtis Bryant, Lieutenant (ret.) David Tousignant and DuPage County.

The lawsuit accuses them of violating the Illinois Human Rights Act and the Illinois Whistleblowers Act.

Mendrick, Bryant and Tousignant could not be reached for comment early Friday afternoon.

Mansour was hired in September 2018 and has been working in the patrol department since July 2020.

Bryant and Tousignant were her superiors, the lawsuit says.

Starting in 2022, Tousignant and Bryant made unwanted sexual advances toward her and made degrading and derogatory remarks about her, the lawsuit says.

Tousignant is also accused of sexually harassing and sexually abusing her.

The lawsuit states that Tousignant often invited her to lunch and that she was afraid to say no. The lunches lasted two to four hours, the lawsuit states.

He also ordered her to take a shooting test at the county gun range. They were the only people there, and he stood behind her and corrected her posture. Then, as she was cleaning her gun at a table, he grabbed her face and tried to kiss her, the lawsuit says. She turned away.

According to the lawsuit, he falsely claimed that she had failed the weapons test.

The lawsuit alleges that Bryant made comments about her body and clothing, asked her for photos and invited her to dinner.

The lawsuit states that Mansour was disciplined by the sheriff’s office when it was discovered that she had spoken to another officer about the situation and was denied a promotion to the Community Resource Unit because of that.

It also states that the harassment complaint she filed with the sheriff and county authorities was deemed unfounded by them.

The lawsuit alleges that the atmosphere in the sheriff’s office is like that of an “old boys’ club” and that a suffocating “law of silence” prevails.

She filed a complaint with the Illinois Department of Human Rights. The complaint states that the agency dismissed her complaint, but did not explain why.

Mansour is seeking the annulment of her disciplinary proceedings, the award of an unspecified loss of wages and pension entitlements, and a promotion to the Community Resource Unit.

The lawsuit was filed in DuPage County District Court and a hearing is scheduled for August 19.

DuPage deputy says she was sexually harassed at work