Eric Bauman, the leader of the California Democratic Party, has resigned following allegations of sexual misconduct — the latest politician forced to step down in the #MeToo era.

Allegations that he had made sexually explicit comments and inappropriately touched or physically intimidated party staffers and political activists were first reported by Melanie Mason at the Los Angeles Times Wednesday. After being confronted with the complaints, Bauman said he would seek treatment for alcohol abuse and health issues, but did not respond directly to the allegations.

But on Thursday, incoming Gov. Gavin Newsom and other California lawmakers called on him to step down, and Bauman released a statement saying he was resigning.

“I have made the realization that in order for those to whom I may have caused pain and who need to heal, for my own health, and in the best interest of the Party that I love and to which I have dedicated myself for more than 25 years, it is in everyone’s best interest for me to resign my position as chair of the California Democratic Party,” he wrote.

Bauman was a former nurse who rose within the state’s Democratic Party and took the helm in May 2017, becoming the first openly gay person to lead the party. That earned him deference among progressives in California, according to the LA Times, but it’s now clear that he may have crossed the line.

The allegations establish “a clear and escalating pattern of Chairman Bauman’s horrific and dehumanizing behavior,” state Democratic Party vice chair Daraka Larimore-Hall told the Times.

Bauman joins more than 250 powerful men who have been accused of sexual misconduct since last year

The #MeToo movement gained momentum last year when allegations came out against producer Harvey Weinstein. The term #MeToo was first coined by Tarana Burke, an activist from New York City. People need to be reminded that “for every Harvey Weinstein, there’s a hundred more men in the neighborhood who are doing the exact same thing,” Burke said.

Many of these powerful figures in politics, media, and entertainment have either been fired or stepped down from their jobs as a result of sexual harassment or assault allegations as the #MeToo movement has taken off. But as Vox’s Anna North points out, allegations haven’t hurt everyone. President Donald Trump and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, both of whom have been accused of sexual assault, have remained in power (or gained it).

According to the LA Times, Bauman said last year that the party had a zero-tolerance policy on sexual harassment.

But the allegations against him echo a common theme in the #MeToo era: Victims are scared and ashamed to come forward when it’s their word against a person with much more power and recognition. That, at least, has started to change in the past year and a half.

A full investigation is set to be launched into Bauman’s behavior.

According to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 47,000 Americans died by suicide in 2017. Put another way, the suicide rate was 14 people in every 100,000 — up 33 percent from 10.5 people per 100,000 in 1999.

The suicide rate is at a 50-year peak, according to the AP. The new data shows that there were 2,000 more deaths from suicide last year than in 2016, the year when suicide became the second-leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 10 and 34 and the fourth-leading cause for middle-aged Americans.

The increase is in part responsible for another drop in life expectancy this year. Americans are now living an average of just over 78 years and six months on average, according to the report. The average life expectancy has dropped each year since 2016.

Suicide is on the rise, but that doesn’t mean it’s a common occurrence. Because we are very sensitive to information about what’s normal, it’s important to note: While suicide is the 10th leading cause of death, it’s still rare, and it ought to be rarer.

There’s much not yet understood about the rise in suicides, but one finding of the CDC’s previous research was that it’s not necessarily linked to mental health: More than half of the people who died by suicide in 2016 had no known mental health problems.

Instead, as Vox’s Julia Belluz reported this summer following the death of beloved chef and author Anthony Bourdain, researchers have found that the majority of suicides are related to problems with relationships, substance use, health, jobs or finances.

That goes hand-in-hand with the other reason life expectancy is dropping: a rise in drug overdoses. There were more than 70,000 drug overdose deaths in 2017 — the highest number of drug overdose deaths for any single year in US history. Together, suicide and substance abuse overdoses have caused an uptick in mortality — particularly for poor- and middle-class Americans — that can’t be ignored, as Belluz notes:

Researchers have explained the decline, in part, by an increase in “deaths of despair”: suicides, alcoholism, and drug overdoses, particularly from opioid painkillers, are a rising problem for midlife white people.

Experts say suicide is largely preventable. Research has shown, for instance, that states with higher rates of gun ownership also have higher rates of suicide, suggesting that tighter gun laws could lower the rate of suicide. The CDC also suggested that an emphasis on housing and financial policies and “promoting social connectedness” could prevent suicide.

“We need to ensure that suicide prevention is … tackled on the same scale and with the same vigor that we address other public health issues in this country,” Bob Turner of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention told USA Today. If not, “the number of people dying by suicide or struggling with suicidal thoughts will continue to rise.”

Suicide is a frustrating, stubborn tragedy, and one that’s growing more common. But it’s a trend that can be changed. It’s increasingly important to recognize the warning signs, and be aware of common risk factors, like a family history of suicide, a history of mental health issues and recent losses or personal difficulties. Here’s how to help.