San Diego Mayor Bob Filner looks back at a crowd of supporters as he addresses a special meeting of the San Diego City Council after resigning as the city's mayor in San Diego, California August 23, 2013. Filner, facing a sexual harassment lawsuit and numerous allegations of inappropriate behavior toward women, said on Friday that he would resign in a speech before the City Council. Filner said his resignation would be effective August 30. [Photo/Agencies]

SAN DIEGO -- The mayor of one of the largest US cities is leaving office in disgrace Friday amid sexual harassment allegations from more than a dozen women - and the question of how someone who acknowledged mistreating women for many years could have survived for so long in politics.

San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, a former 10-term congressman, leaves office Friday, less than nine months into a four-year term. He made defiant farewell speech last week in which the onetime civil rights activist told the City Council he was the innocent victim of a "lynch mob."

Two months ago, a former city councilwoman and longtime supporter declared the 70-year-old unfit for office, and his communications director said he asked her to work without underwear and demanded kisses.

Lori Saldana, a former Democratic state assemblywoman, said five or six women she invited to speak at a women's studies class she taught at San Diego State University in 2011 confided they were previously targets of advances.

They said Filner managed to get them alone at a meeting or public event and startled them with hugs, flattery and proposals for romantic relationships. The women _ civic and elected leaders _ didn't know he behaved the same way toward others and didn't think of going public, she said.

Saldana said she suspected Filner may have escaped scrutiny because he was thousands of miles from voters and outside the media spotlight.

"In Washington, when you're one of 535 representatives, you're not under the same microscope. In fact, you're fighting for attention. That, in some ways, works to the advantage of someone like Filner," she said.

A mayoral spokeswoman referred questions for Filner to his law firm, Payne & Fears LLP, which didn't respond to an email or phone call.

As he won elections, Filner won admiration from voters for his work ethic and tenaciousness. He also had a reputation for demeaning employees and lashing out at perceived adversaries.

His world began to unravel at a June 20 staff meeting when his deputy chief of staff, Allen Jones, and his communications director, Irene McCormack Jackson, confronted him over his behavior and quit.

McCormack Jackson was the first of nearly 20 women to go public and is still the only one to sue.

A special election to replace Filner has been set for November 19.