HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION BATTLES SEXUAL HARASSMENT
By Adnews Staff
The Ontario Human Rights Commission launched a provincewide public awareness campaign this week to combat sexual harassment in the workplace. The eight-week campaign will use interior transit ads and posters created by Ryan Edwards of Toronto. Goodman Communications of Toronto will handle PR. The goal of the campaign is to encourage people to think about sexual harassment, how it may impact them and how to take the appropriate action if they are being harassed. The ad copy states: Sexual Harassment: It's never okay. It's against the law. In addition, the ad provides a toll-free number to obtain further information. According to the Ontario Human Rights Commission, sexual harassment complaints in the workplace have more than double over the last 10 years. In the last five years 1,300 complaints were filed with the commission. The ad campaign is part of a three-year commitment by the commission to raise awareness about sexual harassment. Other activities will include working with employers to develop company guidelines on sexual harassment, conducting workshops with public and private companies, redesigning complaint procedures to minimize delays, developing a quality assurance program that includes an audit, developing educational materials and increasing distribution of materials to various groups.