Statement from Purna Sen, UN Women’s Executive

Coordinator and Spokesperson on Sexual

Harassment and Other Forms of Discrimination
Saddened by the pain caused to women that is now being heard through the #MeToo
movement across the world, UN Women’s Executive Coordinator and Spokesperson on
Sexual Harassment, Purna Sen, honours victims who have spoken and who continue to
come forward.

Date: Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Sexual harassment and assault are global, no organization or country should think itself
immune. Too many women feel nobody is listening to them, nobody believes them or
cares. I salute the women brave enough to speak up, despite the risks, who rightly call
us all to account. We have seen how the #MeToo, #TimesUp, and other movements that
have already broken silence around the world, have enhanced accountability but there is
much more to be done.
The #MeToo wave has risen in many parts of the world. In the Americas, in Africa, in
Asia, in Europe, women have been taking to the streets, speaking out about the violence
they face and standing in solidarity with their sisters. In recent days, weeks and months,
women in the United States of America (USA), South Korea, Japan, Spain, Sweden and
beyond have made us aware of their experiences and giving notice to abusers.
In South Korea, #MeToo moved through the arts and entertainment world leading to
President Moon Jae-In calling for a wider #MeToo movement in the country. He rightly
noted that sexual harassment can only be uprooted when culture and attitudes change.
In neighbouring Japan, women are naming and detailing their experiences of sexual
violence—from journalism to politics, from school girls to university students. In the USA,
abusers in the worlds of entertainment and journalism have been held accountable by
their employers and by the courts. In Sweden, a country which regularly tops gender
equality ranking tables, an open letter from hundreds of actors sharing their testimonies
and demanding zero tolerance led to thousands of women across all industries echoing
those demands. The starting point on sexual violence cannot be suspicion if we really
want to enable victims to speak.
Sexual harassment is one dimension of broader experiences of violence against women,
for which perpetrators need to be held fully to account. Impunity for human rights
violations permeate rape culture, blame and judge victims for wrongs done to them, and
cannot be allowed to continue—including in criminal justice systems. The light sentencing
of ‘the wolf pack’ attackers in Spain diminishes the severity of the violation and undermines
clear obligations to uphold the rights of women. Justice must be known by women.
From parliaments to film industries, to hotel workers and journalists—all of us must clean
our own house in all parts of the world. That includes us at the United Nations and it is
clear that we too have work to do. Safe and respectful workplaces are our right, as is
freedom from violence. There can be no tolerance, acceptance or denial of the existence
of sexual abuse at work.
Positions of power are dominated by men; women are often expected to be quietly
accepting of aggressive male sexual behaviours. Such norms support the persistence of
sexual harassment and, although no category of women seems to be exempt, young
women who are new in their careers, are particularly vulnerable.
Men’s crucial contributions to this momentum include examining their power and
behaviour, challenging other men and making change that lasts.
As the UN organization that leads on gender equality and women’s empowerment, we
recognize violence against women as the expression of structural inequality between men
and women. Ending violence against women is at the core of our mission and work. UN
Women works to prevent and respond to this violence, to increase access to services for
survivors and to make private and public spaces safer for women and girls. We will listen,
watch and recommend actions that will make the world work better for women.
We hear you; we are with you.
Link ONU Mujeres: http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2018/5/statement-purna-
sen-sexual-harassment-and-discrimination