Pioneering scheme to combat sexual harassment in workplace

THE UK’S first faith-based scheme to combat sexual harassment in the workplace launched this week following an investigation by the JC.

After six Jewish women told this paper in 2017 about their experiences of sexual harassment while working for communal organisations, Jewish Women’s Aid (JWA) was asked to develop compulsory training courses and produce reviews of policies, procedures and practices.

JWA has now launched its “zero tolerance to sexual harassment” scheme designed specifically for Jewish charities and communal groups.

JW3, UJIA, World Jewish Relief, Resource, Reform Judaism and the JC are the first to sign up for the 12-month pilot, which started this week.

The organisations have opened themselves up to JWA, which will conduct anonymous online surveys with staff and volunteers about the organisations’ approach to sexual harassment. It will also ask staff about any personal experiences of the problem with a view to improving policy and making sure workers are adequately supported.

JWA hopes that the project, which has been supported by the Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council, will be rolled out across all UK-based Jewish organisations after the pilot year.

The organisations will be supported by JWA to develop policy and

procedures to ensure any reported incidents are dealt with appropriately.

The charity spent a year developing the programme, having carried out an initial assessment of processes in a cross-section of large, medium and small Jewish communal organisations.

JWA found that only one charity it surveyed had a robust policy on the issue.

JWA Chief Executive Naomi Dickson said: “Sadly, sexual harassment is a problem faced in all workplaces… It is essential that we have a cross-communal approach to combatting sexual harassment.

“It is unacceptable behaviour and should not be tolerated.”

The scheme is funded by RoSA, an independent charity offering free, confidential support to anyone who has experienced the trauma of rape, sexual abuse or sexual violence.

Simon Johnson, chief executive of the JLC, said: “It is vitally important that we all work in an environment where we feel safe in every regard. We hope that this programme will encourage more organisations to look and review their policies and practices around sexual harassment in the workplace.”

Raymond Simonson, chief executive of JW3, said he was “ashamed” to read the JC’s report in 2017, which highlighted the level of sexual harassment endured by women working within Jewish organisations. “When JWA asked if I would consider JW3 participating in this vital pilot programme, I felt a responsibility — especially as a male chief executive in a position of power in an organisation with over 70 per cent female staff — to agree.”

Sadly, this is a problem faced in all workplaces’