Latest news with #ScottFlorence
CBC
6 days ago
- Health
- CBC
How northern legal clinics are supporting victims of sexual harassment in the workplace
Community legal clinics across northern Ontario are working together to address sexual harassment in the workplace by providing free legal advice and support to victims, one of the organizers said. Scott Florence, sexual harassment and workplace worker with the Sudbury Community Legal Clinic, said the initiative is a relaunch of a program that started in 2020. Four of the legal clinics in the north — Algoma Community Legal Clinic in Sault Ste. Marie, Keewaytinok Native Legal Services in Moosonee, Kinna-aweya Legal Clinic in Thunder Bay, Sudbury Community Legal Clinic — are part of this project, providing free public legal education to people, organizations and institutions. Under the project, Florence said people can either call a toll free number or just knock on the door of their local community legal clinic, who will then advise them how to proceed. "We know that across northern Ontario, we have a lot of smaller communities, more isolated communities, and getting legal services is not always easy and obtainable," Florence told CBC Sudbury on Tuesday. "So, this project really wants to ensure that everybody across the north knows that they have options, that they have rights and that they've got some place to go to find out more." The initiative is part of a province-wide two-year project, which is funded by the Department of Justice of Canada. Florence said there is no income minimum to get the free legal advice that will happen through the toll free number. Nearly one in two women and one in three men report experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace in their lifetime, according to Stats Canada reporting from 2024. "This can be a hard topic to discuss," Florence said. "People can feel shame, they can be uncertain about where to go or what to do. This project gives people the free legal advice, education and support that they need to help them understand how to deal with sexual harassment if they have experienced it; or, how to be an ally, or, how to make change in the workplace as an employer." 'It's a social issue' Meanwhile, Algoma Legal Clinic paralegal Jill Hewgill says she hopes this initiative will encourage people to seek free legal advice and support. "Sexual Harassment in the workplace isn't just a legal issue, it's a social issue," Hewgill said. "By involving all the community legal clinics in the north, we're hoping to bring more people forward to seek legal advice, and to provide them with information and guidance as well as resources to support them." People experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace can call 1-833-677-5146 for free legal advice, or visit or contact their nearest community legal clinic to be referred to speak to someone directly.
CTV News
29-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
Northern legal clinics receive funding to support victims of sexual harassment
The funding will support four clinics in northern Ontario: Algoma Community Legal Clinic (Sault Ste Marie), Keewaytinok Native Legal Services (Moosonee), Kinna-aweya Legal Clinic (Thunder Bay), and the Sudbury Community Legal Clinic. Community Legal Clinics across northern Ontario are working together to address sexual harassment in the workplace by providing free legal advice and support to victims. The province-wide, two-year project is funded by the Department of Justice of Canada and led by Northumberland Community Legal Clinic. The funding will support four clinics in northern Ontario: Algoma Community Legal Clinic (Sault Ste. Marie), Keewaytinok Native Legal Services (Moosonee), Kinna-aweya Legal Clinic (Thunder Bay), and the Sudbury Community Legal Clinic. Officials said even today, sexual harassment in the workplace is far too prevalent. 'One out of every two women report experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace, and nearly one out of every three men do, as well,' said Scott Florence of the Sudbury Community Legal Clinic. People feel ashamed 'It's often something that people feel ashamed about. They're not sure what they can do about it. And so this project gives people free legal advice, free education and support to help them understand how to deal with sexual harassment if they've experienced it themselves -- or how to be an ally, and, ideally, how to be a better employer and make change in the workplace.' The $1 million in funding is an expansion of a program that began in 2019. The money for the second phase of the initiative is to run until March 31, 2027. 'At the Algoma Community Legal Clinic, we've been participating in this project since its initial inception,' said paralegal Jill Hewgill. 'Since 2020, we partnered with Algoma University … to deliver public legal education sessions regarding sexual harassment in the workplace. Because it's not just a legal issue, it's a social issue, as well. So the social work department felt there was a real need to have both of those complement one another.' Hewgill said that while the program has been successful, they saw the need to reach more people. 'We want to get to those individuals who aren't reporting it,' she said. Legal advice 'By doing this and involving all of the community legal clinics in the north, we're hoping that it will bring more people forward to seek legal advice -- or at least (provide) information to give them some guidance, some resources available for them.' Hewgill said many people don't come forward or even look for more information is fear of repercussions. 'This is in hopes of trying to break down some of those barriers and letting victims know they're not alone,' she said. People experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace can call 1-833-677-5146 for free legal advice, click here or contact the nearest community legal clinic to be referred to speak to someone directly.
