Actress and activist Emma Watson is helping launch a new legal helpline for women in the UK seeking advice after experiencing harassment - particularly in the workplace.
According to the Guardian, the new helpline was launched this week by Watson and Time’s Up UK, using public donations (including an undisclosed amount from Watson) as well as funding from Time’s Up UK’s justice and equality fund and the UK Fund for Women and Girls.
The free helpline will connect women with representatives from Rights of Women, helping them to understand their rights and hold their employers accountable.
In a statement to The Guardian, Watson 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, and this advice line is such a huge development in ensuring that all women are supported, wherever we work.”
Making legal advice more accessible to women, regardless of their ability to pay for it, is vital, says Rights of Women’s senior legal officer, Deeba Syed.
“This advice line’s purpose is to empower women to exercise their legal rights in the workplace," Syed said, according to the Guardian.
"By advising women about their legal options and increasing their understanding of equalities and discrimination law, we will be able to help them make informed choices about next steps, including how to navigate the legal system with confidence."
Syed continued: “We know that complaints of sexual harassment at work are still frequently responded to in a gendered manner that is negative, undermining or can lead to victimisation. That is why Rights of Women will also work towards dismantling the underlying structural problems that puts the burden on victims and makes it difficult for women to come forward through its policy work.”
For those in the UK, the hotline number is 020 7490 0152.
