Hundreds of renowned names from Hollywood and the entertainment industry have joined hands for a project that will help women from all industries to be able to fight against the perpetrators of sexual harassment, on legal grounds.
This campaign is said to be the next step of the “Me Too” campaign that exposed many famous faces in the entertainment industry for sexually abusing their women employees, including the most surprising and talked about Harvey Weinstein controversy.
The “Time’s Up” campaign represents women belonging to all industries, including those who are low-paid in fields like agriculture and hotel management, who suffer sexual abuse because of the threats to their livelihood. The fighting fund is being raised by famous Hollywood personalities including actresses like Emma Watson, Natalie Portman, Reese Witherspoon, Anne Hathaway, Cate Blanchett, Eva Longoria and Emma Stone.
The representative statement for the project is “A unified call for change from the women in entertainment for women everywhere.”
Many may suspect whether a campaign about a problem of such unimaginable volume can have any visible effects, but printed words and vocal support do bring radical change – the ‘Me Too’ campaign is the most recent example The women whose voices are suppressed under the pressure of elimination from the job or false legal actions, backed by the power of money by their wealthy employers, will hopefully get a virtual support with this campaign. When they are aware that there are women out there striving to get them justice, they will certainly feel empowered to rise against their abusers.
Due to the support of widely recognized celebrities, the fund has already achieved a huge part of its total target ($13m out of $15m). It is worth knowing that the money raised, will be used to fund legal support for the victims of sexual harassment at work, regardless of their gender.
The website of the initiative published a solidarity letter stating, “Time’s Up says the struggle for women to break in, to rise up the ranks and to simply be heard must end,” adding further that“Time’s up on this impenetrable monopoly.”
The aim of the letter is focussed on “every woman… who has had to fend off sexual advances”, and also says that such harassment can often continue because “perpetrators and employers never face any consequences.”
It is notable that women, in spite of being well-educated and capable of earning themselves financial independence and respect at their workplace, have often been oppressed by the men in power. Be it their counterparts or the employers, working women have been exploited mentally and physically, to remind them about the age-old concept, that no matter what, women are weaker and less deserving than their male counterparts.
This initiative will surely infuse a vigour in working women to fight for themselves against those who try to bring down their self-respect and confidence. Women don’t need to suffer to achieve what they dream. They dare to reach their goals and defeat any difficulty that comes in their way.