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Rep. Marcy Kaptur: Women sending 'invitation' for harassment with their clothing

"I saw a member yesterday with her cleavage so deep it was down to the floor," Kaptur said at a Democratic Caucus meeting.

In a political and cultural atmosphere that has been dominated recently by women stepping forward against sexual misconduct, a local member of the U.S. House of Representatives raised eyebrows on Wednesday saying revealing clothing that some members and staffers wear is an “invitation” to sexual harassment.

Rep. Marcy Kaptur made the comments, which were first reported by Politico, during a private Democratic Caucus meeting Wednesday to discuss sexual harassment issues, according to two Democratic sources in the room.

“I saw a member yesterday with her cleavage so deep it was down to the floor,” Kaptur said, according to the sources present. “And what I’ve seen … it's really an invitation.” The comments left many others in the room stunned, the sources said.

Kaptur then made the suggestion that women on Capitol Hill should have to abide by a stricter dress code, like those adopted by the military or corporations.

“Maybe I’ll get booed for saying this, but many companies and the military [have] a dress code,” she said. “I have been appalled at some of the dress of ... members and staff. Men have to wear ties and suits.”

The 71-year-old Kaptur later gave a statement to Politico and to WKYC Channel 3, saying she never meant to suggest that women are to blame for any harassment they might receive.

“When I was first elected to Congress my office and I became a refuge for female staffers who had been mistreated by their bosses. Some of them in tears many days. It is something I carry with me to this day and something I brought up during our Caucus meeting," she said. "Under no circumstances is it the victim's fault if they are harassed in any way. I shared the stories from my time here in the context of the ‘Me Too’ legislation and how we can elevate the decorum and the dress code to protect women from what is a pervasive problem here and in society at large.”

Kaptur has been a member of Congress since 1983. She represents's Ohio's 9th district, which includes parts of Cuyahoga, Lorain, Erie, Ottawa, and Lucas Counties.

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