User:Sociscool/Working Women United

Working Women United (also known as the Working Women United Institute) is a women's rights [organization] based in the United States which was formed in New York City, in 1975, to combat sexual harassment of women in the workplace.

Several women in the Human Affairs Program (HAP) sought to help Woods, among them being Lin Farley, Susan Meyer, and Karen Sauvigné. After helping Carmita Woods with her case, the three women began to address sexual harassment as a widespread issue for women all around the country.

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In the mid-1970's, the feminist movement created social and conceptual spaces where women could speak out on the job about sexual harassment. As women had done previously with abortion, rape, and domestic abuse, identifying and speaking out about the violation legitimized their feelings of violation. This time, they focused on sexual harassment in the workplace, and the case of Carmita Wood inspired the movement. She was declined unemployment benefits when resigning as an administrative assistant to a professor at Cornell University because she had been physically ill from the pressure of avoiding his unwanted sexual advances. Woods had reached out the Human Affairs Program (HAP) at Cornell University in which Lin Farley, Susaun Meyer and Karen Sauvigne offered their support in finding legal council. Recognizing the work that need for support of working women, they created the Working Women United (WWU) organization.