Time's Up: Emma Stone And Meryl Streep Among 300 Female Actors Backing New Sexual Harassment Initiative

It is a 'unified call for change from women in entertainment for women everywhere'.

Emma Stone and Meryl Streep are among over 300 female actors who are backing a new campaign to tackle sexual harassment in the film industry and other workplaces.

The Time’s Up project is aims to fund legal support for those who have been harassed at work, and is described as a “unified call for change from women in entertainment for women everywhere”.

The Hollywood initiative has already raised $13 million (£9.6m) of its $15m target, after it was announced with a full-page advert in the New York Times, who broke the story of sexual harassment allegations about film producer Harvey Weinstein last year.

Emma Stone and Meryl Streep are backing the Time's Up initiative
Emma Stone and Meryl Streep are backing the Time's Up initiative
PA

In the advert, it says: “The struggle for women to break in, to rise up the ranks and to simply be heard and acknowledged in male-dominated workplaces must end; time’s up on this impenetrable monopoly.

“We particularly want to lift up the voices, power and strength of women working in low-wage industries where the lack of financial stability makes them vulnerable to high rates of gender-based violence and exploitation.”

It also calls for “gender inequality and the imbalance of power” to be addressed, calling for equal pay and for more women to be in the top jobs.

Other stars who have backed the Time’s Up campaign include Kerry Washington, Reese Witherspoon, Natalie Portman and America Ferrera.

The initiative follows the rise of the #MeToo hashtag, which saw people sharing their experiences of sexual harassment on social media, in response to the allegations made about various men in Hollywood in light of the Weinstein scandal.

Weinstein has remained out of the limelight since women began coming forward to accuse him of sexual harassment, abuse, and - in three cases - rape, taking part in an outpatient rehab program.

When the first reports emerged in early October, he apologised for inappropriate behaviour but has “vehemently denied” all accusations of non-consensual sex.

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