Lower-Wage Female Workers Get Sexually Harassed, Too (But Why Nobody is Talking About It?)

Sexual harassment didn’t leave the media spotlight for months since it thrust itself on front pages in early October 2017.

And while sexual harassment is certainly not a creation of 2017, the year will go down in history as the precursor for change in the high-profile fields of entertainment, comedy, media, tech and politics.

It’s fair to say that Hollywood women have benefited the most from the #MeToo movement, while the poor and powerless – the complete opposite of the rich and famous – remain left out in the cold.

Not only celebrities and actresses suffer from sexual harassment

Revelations of sexual harassment, assault and abuse have been mushrooming on social media for months, but only claims made by or against high-profile figures gained traction in the media.

It would be wrong to assume, however, that sexual harassment is something only women in entertainment struggle with. In fact, factory workers and farmers are just as – if not more – likely to be sexually harassed or abused by their employers and co-workers in Los Angeles and across California.

Fact #1: a third of all female U.S. workers have been sexually harassed at work.

Fact #2: even before sexual harassment started vacuuming up headlines in the last quarter of 2017, more than 12,000 sexual harassment claims had been filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) each year.

While there has been an unprecedented uptick in sexual harassment claims across many workplaces in the U.S. ever since Hollywood scandals, not giving much spotlight to lower-income workers such as factory workers and farmers could soon dry up the #MeToo movement among low-wage workers, our sexual harassment attorneys at Rager & Yoon – Employment Lawyers warn.

Factory workers and farmers face sexual misconduct, too

While sexual harassment revelations made by or against actors, directors, producers, politicians, journalists, reporters, TV personalities and other powerful and high-profile figure are there to linger for a while longer, millions of women who have fewer resources and less recognition than a movie star could feel discouraged from reporting sexual harassment in the workplace out of fear of retaliation and feeling lack of protection.

Thankfully, being legally represented by a Los Angeles sexual harassment attorney allows even factory workers and farmers to seek justice against their harassers, abusers, predators, and gropers, as lawyers can offer you superb legal help, prevent retaliation and find evidence of sexual harassment.

Yep, you don’t have to be a movie star or have the media digging out evidence to win a sexual harassment claim in Los Angeles. You don’t necessarily have to be Salma Hayek or Jennifer Lawrence to report sexual harassment and obtain compensation for getting harassed or abused in the workplace.

Should you file a sexual harassment claim if you aren’t a high-profile figure?

And let’s not forget that compared to actresses and celebrities, female factory workers and farmers account for a much larger portion of U.S. population, so getting their voices on front pages and giving them credit for their courage and resolve could help address the issue of sexual harassment in the U.S. workplace with a tremendous impact.

Although exact statistics of sexual harassment among female farmers are not known, Human Rights Watch interviewed many U.S. farmworkers as part of its 2012 report on sexual violence, and nearly all participants of the survey said they either experienced or witnessed sexual harassment at work.

Sexual harassment is just as prevalent among female workers employed in hospitality and food services jobs, as women of this industry file more sexual harassment claims than any other industry in the U.S.

Women in the retail and manufacturing industries hold the second and third places respectively. Your harasser doesn’t necessarily have to be Harvey Weinstein or Kevin Spacey to be held responsible for sexual misconduct in the workplace.

If you have become a victim of sexual misconduct in the workplace, consult our skilled sexual harassment attorneys at Rager & Yoon – Employment Lawyers to know your best course of action.

Regardless of who you are, you deserve the right to be heard and get compensated for your emotional trauma and other damages suffered as a result of sexual harassment at work.

Call our best lawyers in Los Angeles at 310-527-6994 or fill out this contact form to get a free case evaluation. We respect your right to confidentiality.