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San Luis Obispo mayor says she was raped in high school

May 3, 2021

Mayor Heidi Harmon

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

San Luis Obispo Mayor Heidi Harmon has revealed she was sexually assaulted when she was a 17-year-old high school student.

Last month, Harmon read a proclamation at a city council meeting on behalf of RISE, a nonprofit that helps sexual assault victims in SLO County. While making the proclamation, Harmon stated she is a survivor of sexual violence.

In the aftermath of making the disclosure, Harmon gave an interview to The Tribune in which she said she was drugged and raped while on a date as a 17-year-old high school student in Southern California. Harmon woke up in the middle of the assault, she said.

At the time, Harmon did not report the assault to law enforcement and only told one person that it happened. She blamed herself for going out with a man who was as much as 10 years older than her.

The rape is a 35-year-old wound that has affected her in various ways since it occurred, Harmon said. She suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and at times has trouble doing her job, Harmon added.


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I personally know two women who were raped when younger. One was 17 and one was 16 when it happened. They never told anyone until years later as well, so I am inclined to give Ms. Harmon the benefit of the doubt. However, the past trauma does not give her a pass for the current bad decisions she supports, specifically the horrific situation the Biden administration has created at the border. Thousands of women, including children, are experiencing rape, robbery, and worse. You would think Ms Harmon would be leading the charge to protect these women since she understands the life long trauma rape causes. No one paying any attention buys blaming Trump for this humanitarian crisis at the border. This is all on the Democrats. If you want to read and hear first hand what is going on, Michael Yon has been in Panama, Guatemala, and reporting on the migration to America thru the Darien Gap. If you speak Spanish, you will be shocked and heartbroken when you listen to his recent interview of 4 guys from Venezuela who had just emerged from the Gap. The group they were in started with about 70 people. 11 died so far, and these guys said all the women and some children were raped. Everyone was robbed. Or, listen to the horror stories our border patrol know about. Cartels are getting rich, and these women are suffering because the Democrats encouraged them to rush our border. The migrants will even tell the reporters that is why they are coming, so the information is out there, even if the Biden administration chooses to ignore their responsibility. Ms. Harmon, I pray you have healing from your trauma. I pray for healing for all the women going through this trauma everyday.


35

Classic!

I’m paying attention.


Lest we forget, Trump boastfully admitted in 2005 that he’s a sexual assaulter, and may one day be held personally accountable for numerous assaults.

Do you pray for these victims as well?


Also, blaming Biden and over half of the American population for the atrocities happening 3000 miles away is weak at best. It’s an awful situation, but the decision one must make to go North for a better & safer life is often taken, regardless of the risks.


And, victim or not, I believe the mayor is doing a less than stellar job.


-12

This is not about the big “orange” man.


Biden is president now and Harmon is Mayor.


Stop deflecting.


2

Did she disclose this mind deranging experience before she ran for public office? This explains much about Heidi, her many contradictions and irrational forward thinking. There will be problems is a given, especially when she chooses to hide it from those whose need her strength. Honesty is the beginning to recovery but it is a violation to the voters for not having shared this story earlier.


54

Please excuse me, but where tf does it state a person must reveal the most private and traumatic experiences in ones life before running for office? You’re ridiculous. 5 minutes alone


-3

I will agree she has trouble doing her job…


79

Heidi (Look at Me!) Harmon seeking self-publicity again. If it happened, she knows who did it and she should call him out. If it didn’t happen, it’s invention for publicity’s sake. Time for a polygraph Heidi?


67

How is this news?


67

If she has trouble doing such an important job, maybe she should resign and focus on self healing.


114

I’ll give her the benefit of doubt, but this rings suspicious. If it is true, she should “out” her assaulter.


73

I agree completely. However, outing her assaulter could diminish her sense of victimization, she wants the empathy, sympathy and spotlight , on her.


2

If she was 17 and he was 10 years older it would be considered child molestation as well as rape and the statute of limitations has not passed. Heidi should do the right thing and report this to the police if this indeed is true. The molester needs to be arrested and Heidi would find it therapeutic.


108

https://www.hg.org/legal-articles/what-is-the-statute-of-limitations-for-rape-34338

Ten Years or Less


Many jurisdictions have a statute of limitations for ten years or less. California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Montana, Texas and Washington have a ten-year statute of limitations. Maine has an eight-year statute. North Dakota has a seven-year statute while Oregon, Vermont, Arkansas, New Hampshire and Hawaii have a six-year statute of limitations. Connecticut has a five-year statute and Florida has a four-year statute. Minnesota has the shortest statute of limitations of three years.


9

Is she trying to round-up, some sympathy? More votes for the next run? What a frigging train-wreck! I remember when San Luis Obispo had council members and mayors that were actually assets to the city.


117

You must be really old to remember when politicans did the will of the people. It’s been awhile….


63

SLO was for the people, until Jan Marx was elected….ironically.


35

Melanie Billig????? You haven’t lived here very long have you. Our Mayors have been a train wreck for awhile. All Jan Marx did was add “shady” and “dishonest” to the already negative job description of “San Luis Obispo Mayor.”


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