Speaking at the launch, Watson welcomed the initiative but expressed concern that such a service had not been available earlier
Failure to meet this duty may result in an additional compensation award of up to 25% for employees who have experienced sexual harassment, where the relevant legal conditions are met, according to the charity. Because they feared the consequences for their careers, when the service was introduced, Rights of Women said many women experiencing workplace harassment were reluctant to complain. The service, introduced by the charity Rights of Women, was designed to help women understand their legal rights and the steps they could take against workplace harassment.
“It’s completely staggering to think that this is the only service of its type given that research has found that as many as one in two women experience sexual harassment in the workplace,” she said. “Understanding what your rights are, how you can assert them, and the choices you have if you’ve experienced harassment, is such a vital part of creating safe workplaces for everyone,” she said. Deeba Syed, then Senior Legal Officer at Rights of Women, said harassment had often been treated as something women were expected to tolerate at work.
British actor and activist Emma Watson has helped support the launch of a free legal advice service for women facing sexual harassment at work in England and Wales. Seven years later, the advice line continues to operate, offering specialist legal guidance to women dealing with such situations. Watson supported the initiative through the TIME’S UP UK Justice and Equality Fund, which was established with donations from the public and supporters, including the actor. Watson also stressed that understanding legal rights was an important part of addressing workplace harassment. She also pointed to the shortage of specialist legal support for those who wanted to challenge such behaviour.