Gender-Based Violence

We are excited to share with you the National Women’s Law Center’s new report: #MeToo Five Years Later: Progress & Pitfalls in State Workplace Anti-Harassment Laws. The report finds that 22 states and D.C. have passed a total of more than 70 workplace anti-harassment bills since #MeToo went viral. And the momentum has continued strong every year: nine states passed workplace anti-harassment legislation in 2022, about the same number that passed such legislation immediately after #MeToo went viral.

The report also finds, however, that women of color and low-paid workers have not fully benefited from many of these reform efforts, and there has been little progress on reforms that would most fundamentally shift our ability to prevent and stop harassment, like addressing retaliation or the “severe or pervasive” standard.

Take a look at this important report. 

Last April, during Sexual Assault Awareness Month, WRJ launched a new social justice initiative called WRJ Says STOP to provide a venue for us to address matters of sexual harassment and gender-based violence and learn how to be informed advocates in this arena. We will provide opportunities for Education, Advocacy, and Action during our four webinars and an online Advocacy Guide to help address sexual harassment and assault in our communities.

The "I Wear Teal Because ..." campaign welcomes people to join the conversation about sexual harassment and assault. We hope that images of WRJ women wearing teal - the color of sexual assault awareness - help others engage with our WRJ says STOP initiative to learn, act, and advocate together. 

Taking and sending a photo is an action we can do now to bring about change. Download the "I Wear Teal" sign, add your own words, take a photo, and send it to advocacy@wrj.org. WRJ will collect photos and stories to share, send messages of support, AND show our commitment to change. Please take a minute to look at WRJ's "I Wear Teal Because..." Facebook album.