Upon the launching of the new advice line, the UN Women Goodwill Ambassador expresses her hope that people will start to see 'a new climate of prevention and accountability' on the issue.
- August 6, 2019
AceShowbiz - Emma Watson is "hopeful" that a new sexual harassment helpline will ensure women suffering unwanted attention understand their legal rights.
The advice line is managed by Rosa, which is the U.K. Fund for Women and Girls, and offers advice provided by Rights of Women, a charity which works to help women through the law.
And in a statement, the actress, who is a keen activist and devout feminist, expressed it's "completely staggering" that the new advice line is the only service of its type.
"It finally feels like people are realising the scale of the problem, and I'm certainly hopeful that with global standards such as the recent International Labour Organisation treaty on harassment at work, we'll start to see a new climate of prevention and accountability on this issue domestically," the 29-year-old UN Women Goodwill Ambassador shared. "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."
The "Harry Potter" actress went on to urge women to "exercise their legal rights" and "increase their understanding of equalities and discrimination law", so they can make more informed decisions about how to manage untoward behaviour in the workplace.
Emma added she hopes the helpline will "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."
