CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Two Logan County women have filed sexual harassment lawsuits against the vice president for student services at the Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College.

In separate lawsuits filed Tuesday in Kanawha Circuit Court, Vicki L. Damron and Janelle Rockhold say James P. Owens repeatedly made unwelcome physical advances and sexually charged comments.

The school also is named as a defendant in the lawsuits, filed by Charleston lawyer Matthew Criswell.

Damron, an executive secretary at the school, contends tht Owens began making inappropriate comments regarding her body on July 1, 1998, the first day she began working for him.

Owen preyed on her "meek personality and fear of losing her job" to threaten her and keep her from reporting his behavior, the lawsuit states.

Over time, his overtures became more aggressive, the lawsuit maintains.

On one occasion in his office, he grabbed her and began kissing her and fondling her before she immediately pulled away and fled, the lawsuit alleges.

After that, the situation escalated further, with Owens pulling Damron onto his lap and groping her breasts in another incident, the lawsuit states. At another point, as Damron was in his office taking notes, Owens locked the door and took off all of his clothes except for a dress shirt, the lawsuit alleges.

Damron left the room when a maintenance worker began unlocking the office, according to the suit.

"Using his position of authority, defendant Owens ultimately forced [Damron] into a compromising sexual situation, against her will," the lawsuit states.

Although she was afraid it would cost her her job, Damron finally reported Owens' behavior to Merle Dempsey, SWVCTC's executive vice president, on April 30, the lawsuit states.

Shortly thereafter, Damron was moved from her office to a desk in a common area in a different building, the lawsuit claims.  "[She] has been repeatedly told that she needs to go on 'disability,' comments obviously intended to convey that [she] is no longer wanted at SWVCTC," the suit states.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Two Logan County women have filed sexual harassment lawsuits against the vice president for student services at the Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College.

In separate lawsuits filed Tuesday in Kanawha Circuit Court, Vicki L. Damron and Janelle Rockhold say James P. Owens repeatedly made unwelcome physical advances and sexually charged comments.

The school also is named as a defendant in the lawsuits, filed by Charleston lawyer Matthew Criswell.

Damron, an executive secretary at the school, contends tht Owens began making inappropriate comments regarding her body on July 1, 1998, the first day she began working for him.

Owen preyed on her "meek personality and fear of losing her job" to threaten her and keep her from reporting his behavior, the lawsuit states.

Over time, his overtures became more aggressive, the lawsuit maintains.

On one occasion in his office, he grabbed her and began kissing her and fondling her before she immediately pulled away and fled, the lawsuit alleges.

After that, the situation escalated further, with Owens pulling Damron onto his lap and groping her breasts in another incident, the lawsuit states. At another point, as Damron was in his office taking notes, Owens locked the door and took off all of his clothes except for a dress shirt, the lawsuit alleges.

Damron left the room when a maintenance worker began unlocking the office, according to the suit.

"Using his position of authority, defendant Owens ultimately forced [Damron] into a compromising sexual situation, against her will," the lawsuit states.

Although she was afraid it would cost her her job, Damron finally reported Owens' behavior to Merle Dempsey, SWVCTC's executive vice president, on April 30, the lawsuit states.

Shortly thereafter, Damron was moved from her office to a desk in a common area in a different building, the lawsuit claims.  "[She] has been repeatedly told that she needs to go on 'disability,' comments obviously intended to convey that [she] is no longer wanted at SWVCTC," the suit states.

Rockhold, a student who participated in a work-study program, maintains that she was reassigned from the library to work directly for Owens after he specifically requested her.

Owens detailed his sexual escapades with other women to Rockhold and made inappropriate comments about her appearance, the lawsuit alleges.

One day, Owens began rubbing her back and shoulders in his office, even though she told him no, the lawsuit maintains.

"Why not? I will close the door," Owens allegedly replied.

After a while, Owens sat down next to Rockhold and told her to rub his shoulders, the lawsuit contends. "[Rockhold], who was scared and feared what defendant Owens might do if she didn't, complied against her will," the suit states.

Rockhold escaped about 10 seconds later, when another student knocked on the office door, according to the lawsuit.

She told the other student what had happened, and he reportedly replied, "JP does this to girls all the time, but they're too afraid to come forward."

Rockhold also reported the incident to Roy Simmons, the school's registrar, the lawsuit maintains. Earlier, Simmons had warned her to watch out for Owens because Simmons could tell that he was "playing the friend trying to get in [Rockhold's] pants," the lawsuit states.

After Rockhold told Simmons about the incident in the office, he reportedly said, "I told you that's what he was trying to do."

Both lawsuits seek injunctions requiring SWVCTC to fire Owens and establish training programs regarding sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace.

They also seek unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.

Reach Andrew Clevenger at acleven...@wvgazette.com">acleven...@wvgazette.com or 348-1723.