I heard a lot of misinformation upthread.
Reade went through channels after the incident; filed a form with her immediate supervisor, then it went up to the chief of staff.
For that she was marginalized, moved to a windowless station and taken off current assignments. She felt the power and the pressure applied—in her workplace—to shut up about it: “Joe is u.s. senator in your party. Are you sure you’re willing and ready for the backlash and consequences of your speaking out?â€
I’m sure some of you ladies might have gone to the cops, but I’m equally sure that’s not the universal reaction every woman would have had. She’s not so ignorant she didn’t understand the meaning of ‘consequences’.