‘Vulnerable and violated’: Remote working sexual harassment exacerbated since spring lockdown, poll finds

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Recommended Women subjected to new forms of online sexual harassment in lockdown One woman, who chose to remain anonymous, said she had suffered sexual harassment on popular video app Zoom during the pandemic. He continued harassing me and offered to send me pictures of himself and to keep it private.” Deeba Syed, senior legal officer at Rights of Women, which provides free legal advice for women who have suffered sexual harassment at work, said the latest data mirrors “what women have been telling us already, sexual harassment at work happens online as well as in-person”. Ms Syed added: “Although more women are working from home, online sexual harassment has increased and women continue to suffer sexual harassment despite the Covid-19 pandemic. “We know from supporting victims, that sexual harassment – whether it be online or in person - can have a long-lasting impact on people’s health and well-being.” Tsitsi Matekaire, of Equality Now, an NGO which promotes the rights of women and girls, argued laws are out of touch with how perpetrators wield technology to sexually harass people online - adding that it needs to be approached with the same gravity as other forms of sexual offences.