Some 300 women working in film, television and theatre in the United States have launched a new campaign against sexual harassment.
The movement called Time’s Up Now has outlined an action plan to fight sexual harassment and misconduct in workplaces across the US.
The group has set up a legal defence fund backed by 13 million dollars in donations to help women who don’t have the necessary funds
to fight sexual harassment.
“Harassment too often persists because perpetrators and employers never face any consequences,” the organizers said in an open letter
published on Monday.
The movement is advocating for “gender parity” when it comes to corporate leadership and equal wages and is pushing for legislation to penalize companies that tolerate harassment.
Hollywood professionals including actresses America Ferrera, Eva Longoria and Reese Witherspoon are behind the Time’s Up now movement.
The group also partnered with Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, an organization which fights sexual harassment against the mostly Latino
women who work in the US farm industry.
“To the members of Alianza and farmworker women across the country, we see you, we thank you, and we acknowledge the heavy weight of our
common experience of being preyed upon, harassed, and exploited,” the
letter said.
The movement comes amid heightened awareness of sexual assault and harassment that follow accusations against Hollywood producer Harvey
Weinstein, actor Kevin Spacey, former NBC morning show co-host Matt Lauer, television journalist Charlie Rose among many others.
