MotionforaResolutionbytheCommitteeonEmploymentandSocialAffairsI

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION BY THE COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS I(EMPLI)

#MeToo: Despite the Commission’s commitment to a zero tolerance policy for sexual harassment in the workplace, six out of ten European women still suffer sexism at work. What measures can the EU take together with Member States to combat workplaceviolenceanditseffectsonthehealthandsafetyofworkers?

Submittedby: Rebekka Barry (FI), Jimena Garcia (ES), Oona Isohade (FI), Alara Karabağ (TR), Jemima Mbuta Mboma, Aleksei Nikolajev (FI), Elli Putkonen (FI), Emeliina Vilo (FI), Teodora Arsenović (Chairperson, RS)

TheEuropeanYouthParliament,

A. Deeply regretting the fact that 75% of women in qualified professions or top managementjobshaveexperiencedsexualharassmentatwork, B. Deeply concerned by the lack of reporting of sexual harassment in the workplace duetothepossibilityofemployerretaliation , 1 C. Disturbed by the insufficient amount of support mechanisms for women who sufferedsexualharassment, D. Fully alarmed by the public’s lack of knowledge on the sexual harassment legislation, E. Noting with deep concern that sexual harassment perpetrators rarely face consequences, F. Deeply concerned by the salary discrepancies between men and women with women's gross hourly earnings being on average14.1%belowthoseofmeninthe

EU, G. Noting with deep regret the normalisation of sexualharassmentwhichleads toits

1 Retaliationisanactofgettingrevenge.

insufficentrecognition, H. Bearing in mind that the EU lacks adequate sexual harassment research and clear guidelines regarding the employer’s responsibility to prevent violence and harassmentintheworkplace, I. Fullyalarmedbythelackofeducationontheconceptofenthusiasticconsent ;2

Workplacemeasures

1. Recommends Member States to urge employers to minimise the prevalence of sexual harassment in workplaces by taking preventative measures such as educating employees and hiring a guidance counselor who will monitor and provide psychologicalhelponsexualharassmentissues; 2. Instructs Member States to stand against victim blaming by mandating business owners and workplace managers to anonymously report sexual harassment incidents totheauthorities; 3. Encourages Member States to ensure that victims of sexualharassmenthaveaccess to all necessary resources by providing them with free rape kits3 and psychological counseling; 4. Urges employers to invite a legal counselor to the workplace trainings in order to introduceandclarifythelegalprocessesofreportingsexualharassment;

Legislativemeasures

5. Encourages Member States to advance the process of reporting and condemning sexual harassment by setting up a task force which will assess and improve the pre-existinglegislation; 6. Asks National Ministries of Labour to enact laws that ensure both male and female workerswithinthesamerankearnequalsalary; 7. Calls upon Member States to compel the police forces to thoroughly investigate casesofsexualharassment;

2 Enthusiasticconsentisaboutensuringthatallpartiestosexualactsareenthusiastically consentingtoeverythingthathappens. 3 Arapekitisapackageofitemsusedbymedicalpersonnelforgatheringandpreservingphysical evidencefollowinganallegationofsexualassault. 10

8. Suggests Non-Governmental Organisations to condone societies that normalise sexualharassmentbyraisingawarenessthroughactivisticevents; 9. Calls upon the European Commission to take unified action and implement an EU-widelegislationbanningallformsofsexualharassment; 10. Proposes Member States to raise awareness on the importance of theenthusiastic consentbyincludingitintheschoolcurricula.