S.T.A.R.T. | Support on sexual harassment at work
Did you know that 85% of women in Greece have experienced some form of sexual harassment in the workplace, and that 40% of individuals are unaware of the procedures in place for protection?
Aiming to recognize, prevent, and address sexual harassment in the workplace, we are implementing the S.T.A.R.T. project – a comprehensive plan that supports survivors and witnesses, while also empowering legal professionals to address, recognize, and tackle incidents of sexual harassment with sensitivity and effectiveness.
As part of the project, we offer free Legal Counseling and Psychosocial Support – safely and confidentially – to anyone who has experienced sexual harassment at work or has witnessed such incidents, regardless of gender, age, nationality, or professional sector. We address the needs of employees in both the public and private sectors, as well as self-employed individuals or those currently in the hiring process.
According to the law, “sexual harassment is any unwanted verbal, nonverbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature with the purpose or effect of violating the dignity of a person, especially if it creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment”. Sexual harassment is not limited to physical acts – it can also be verbal (written or spoken), non-verbal, or digital/electronic, with serious mental, physical, and professional consequences to the well-being of both survivors and witnesses.”
Legal Counseling
If you have experienced sexual harassment at work and you are a woman over 18 years old, no matter where you live in Greece, the Legal Counseling service is here for you, whenever you decide to reach out. We will listen to you, discuss your situation, and collaboratively plan the next steps to protect and uphold your rights. Whether you have a stable job or not, work without a contract, or are concerned about a single incident that happened during an interview, meeting, or business trip, talk to us! Through remote sessions lasting up to a total of 3 hours, WHEN’s specialized lawyers will advise you on your options and possible actions. If needed, we can also take on mediation or represent your case before the courts.
Psychosocial Support
Sexual harassment can have significant consequences for your physical and mental health, as it also creates serious obstacles in your professional life, which you need to overcome. Through the S.T.A.R.T. program, we stand by every survivor and witness of sexual harassment in the workplace, offering free, specialized psychosocial support aimed at relief, justice, and empowerment. Across a total of 10 remote sessions, specialized psychologists and social workers from VIA STOP, with experience in trauma therapy and supporting survivors of gender-based violence, will help you recognize and process your trauma, manage emotions such as anger, guilt, or shame, and gradually restore your inner safety and self-esteem. They will also support you in dealing with practical challenges, such as transferring to a different workplace, finding new employment if needed, or accessing financial and legal assistance, and connecting you with other services, organizations, and solidarity networks.
S.T.A.R.T.
The project S.T.A.R.T. (Strategic Tools for Addressing, Recognizing and Tackling Sexual Harassment at Work) is being implemented under the PREVENT programme by WHEN and its partner, VIA STOP. The programme “Preventing gender-based violence and violence against children” (PREVENT) aims to prevent and combat gender-based violence (GBV) and violence against children, by supporting Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) active in these fields, in Greece and Cyprus, and by increasing their knowledge, capacity, and sustainability. PREVENT is co-funded by the European Union through the Citizens, Equality, Rights, and Values (CERV) programme, Bodossaki Foundation, and NGO Support Centre, with a total grant amount of €2.3 million. PREVENT is coordinated by the Bodossaki Foundation (Greece) in partnership with the NGO Support Centre (Cyprus).
