A female employee at the Henry B. González Convention Center has accused two male co-workers of assaulting her numerous times over the last six months.
Last week, the woman told San Antonio police that the men routinely pulled her hair when she clocked in for work at the city-owned facility downtown and continued to do so after she asked them to stop. According to an Aug. 15 police report, one of the men yanked out some of her hair, leaving a bump on her head.
Hers isn't the first allegation that male workers at the convention center have mistreated women on the job. In April, two female maintenance workers filed a lawsuit against the city of San Antonio accusing several of their male supervisors of harassment and abuse.
In the latest case, the female worker reported having been unable "to sleep because of how stressed she gets going into work and being around" the two men.
The names of all three employees were redacted in the police report. It's also unclear what the woman's job is at the convention center or whether the two men are supervisors or hold positions similar to hers.
A police spokesperson said the department is investigating the worker's allegations, declining further comment.
“The City takes all allegations of violence in the work place seriously," the city attorney's office said in a statement. "We are currently investigating all the facts surrounding this employee’s allegations.”
The woman said she hadn't made a police report until this month because she was afraid of losing her job because she is on probation, the report states. She also claimed a human resources employee told her not to tell anybody about what happened.
While the San Antonio Police Department investigates, the civil lawsuit against the city is moving forward. The plaintiffs both allege they were sexually harassed, bullied and physically abused by their supervisors.
One of the plaintiffs is Maria Villegas, who still works for the city at the convention center. The other plaintiff, Sarah Schneuker, quit after she allegedly was denied a transfer to another department.
Lynn Ellenberger, one of the women's attorneys, said other female employees at the convention center have come forward saying they "suffered similar harassment and retaliation" and that her law firm is evaluating their claims.
The convention center has 226 full-time employees; 72 of them are women.
READ MORE: Two city employees file lawsuit saying they were repeatedly abused, bullied by supervisors
Lawsuit details
Villegas alleged her male supervisor caused her major neck pain when he "grabbed her hair and pulled her head back forcefully" on Aug. 13, 2021.
"As a result of the assault, Ms. Villegas sought medical attention and was diagnosed with neck strain and was temporarily put on lifting restrictions by her doctor," said the lawsuit, filed in Bexar County District Court.
A male witness corroborated her story, according to the lawsuit, and it was caught on a security camera.
The supervisor was suspended for five days and moved to another part of the convention center, the suit said.
Schneuker said her male supervisor frequently made lewd jokes about her and yelled at and belittled her.
The petition alleges that after the women reported the abuse, their supervisors sought to punish them.
At least six male supervisors at the facility resigned or were fired because of sexual harassment, assault, battery and abuse of female subordinates, according to the lawsuit. But it wasn't clear in the complaint whether any of the supervisors oversaw Villegas or Schneuker.
City Attorney Andy Segovia said in April that the city will seek to have the case dismissed.