Last night, the NYC Commission on Human Rights hosted a public hearing on sexual harassment in the workplace. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, who conducted the City’s first ever hearing on gender nearly forty years ago, spoke about the importance of holding public hearings, speaking out about sexual harassment and injustice in the workplace, and providing a platform for the public to offer solutions to the problems.
Individuals and advocates from a wide range of industries offered powerful personal stories and shared recommendations for how the Commission can better combat sexual harassment in the workplace. The panel included Commissioner Carmelyn P. Malalis, Commissioner Lorelei Salas, Human Rights Commissioners Cathy Albisa and Carrie Davis, and Gender Equity Commissioner Beverly Tillery.
ABB co-President Dina Bakst testified before the panel and spoke passionately about the devastating consequences sexual harassment can have particularly on low-income women of color and women in non-traditional occupations in New York City and contextualized the issue of sexual harassment among the myriad issues these women face in the workplace. Moreover, we offered several ways the Human Rights Commission can more effectively enforce sexual harassment law as well as suggest certain areas where sexual harassment and other law may benefit from expansion.
ABB looks forward to working with the Commission to implement the recommendations offered at last night’s hearing and continuing to fight against rampant sexual harassment in the workplace.
