City Council President Sabina Matos (Ward 15) and City Council President Pro Tempore Michael J. Correia (Ward 6) co-sponsored a resolution that requires all city employees and Providence elected officials to participate in Sexual Harassment-Prevention Training.

“Thanks to many brave women, like Tarana Burke who started the #MeToo movement, many workplaces have begun to examine their policies around sexual harassment prevention. As one of the larger employers in our State, I believe we should be doing the same,” stated City Council President Sabina Matos. “The national dialogue that the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements have created is not only overdue but important for us to address here locally. Times are changing, and things that were once the status quo are no more, and we need to train our workforce to recognize what constitutes sexual harassment and the impacts that it has on victims, so we can all work together to create a safe and healthy working environment.”

Sexual harassment is widespread and impacts our community as reflected in the national estimates that show that:

·        77% of women had experienced verbal sexual harassment.

·        51% had been sexually touched without their consent.

·        41% said they had been sexually harassed online.

·        27% said they had survived a sexual assault.

·        38% of women said they had experienced sexual harassment in the workplace.

The resolution requests that the city’s human resources department offer sexual-harassment-prevention training to all employees and Providence elected officials.