A Senior Copywriter’s Ambitious Side-Hustle: Wearing Away Sexual Harassment

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A Senior Copywriter’s Ambitious Side-Hustle: Wearing Away Sexual Harassment

A local clothing label, This Is A Statement, is taking on workplace sexual harassment one garment at a time.

 

Georgie Waters, a senior copywriter at Ogilvy Sydney, set herself this ambitious task having experienced workplace sexual harassment in her junior years. It was frustration at the lack of accountability and action that led Waters to start the label, but it’s her commitment to change that will keep her going.

Says Waters: “Workplaces certainly have come a long way and I think most businesses are trying to do the right thing, but I think there needs to be more education and more awareness – particularly on the ‘grey area’ of workplace sexual harassment.

“That’s what brought about the idea of creating a range of clothes that can be worn every day, I wanted there to be a constant reminder for people to be mindful of their behaviour. If we’re mindful of our behaviour and actions and aware of the impact they can have on others, we’ll be one step closer to preventing workplace sexual harassment.”

A Senior Copywriter’s Ambitious Side-Hustle: Wearing Away Sexual Harassment

Aside from attempting to keep the conversation around workplace sexual harassment in the limelight, Waters is donating the profits from 1 in 3 products to organisations that are dedicated to ending sexual harassment. So far, she has donated to ANROWS, a not-for-profit research organisation that produces evidence to support the reduction of violence against women and their children, and Our Watch, the national leader in the primary prevention of violence against women and their children in Australia.

“While fashion is a great way to make a statement and make the cause more accessible, it’s the organisations that I donate to that can affect real change; they can support victims, offer legal support and advise workplaces on what more can be done.”

The latest release is a t-shirt with the statement “Think Before You Speak” and a cap and tote bag that remind people to “Be Decent.” They’re messages as old as time, but ones that are often forgotten in the workplace.

A Senior Copywriter’s Ambitious Side-Hustle: Wearing Away Sexual Harassment

“I chose these statements because they’re simple prompts for people to rethink their behaviour; if we ‘think before we speak’ we’ll be less likely to make others uncomfortable, if we pledge to ‘be decent’ there could be fewer indecent interactions. It’s ambitious, but it’s better than being complacent.”

With employees now starting to head back into their offices, Waters says there’s never been a better time to start afresh and commit to making our offices a safer place for all.

All products can be purchased directly through This Is A Statement’s website, thisisastatement.net

For more information, please visit https://www.thisisastatement.net/ or our Instagram @thisisastatement

If this article has triggered any issues for you, or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, please call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).