Tag: Sexual harassment

Take action on sexual harassment with direct access barristers

Sexual harassment in Hollywood has recently hit the headlines, but statistics released by Opinium Research show that one in five women in the UK also have been sexually harassed in the workplace.

Unfortunately, this demonstrates that workplace sexual harassment is still a problem and not just in Hollywood. In fact, it’s not unlikely that you or someone you know has been affected, despite there being laws in place to protect workers like you.

Sexual harassment includes any type of unwelcome behaviour of a sexual nature. This can be verbal, such as remarks about your body or appearance, non-verbal, for example staring at your body or sending texts of a sexual or physical nature, including physical contact of any kind.

If you have been a victim of sexual harassment, your first steps will usually be to speak to HR or complain to your employer to try and resolve the issue. If necessary, you can even take action through an industrial tribunal. However, if the tribunal is unsuccessful you may still want to seek specialist legal advice.

Did you know that you can contact a barrister directly for expert legal advice or representation for your case? Public access barristers are experts in the law and how it works and can advise you on your legal position, draft legal documents and even use their skills to represent you in a court tribunal or hearing.

Instructing a barrister directly can save you hundreds to thousands of pounds, whilst also ensuring you receive high-quality and experienced legal support. Barristers4U has access to 1000+ accredited barristers throughout England and Wales offering expert legal advice and representation.

Our video-conferencing facilities (such as Skype) mean you can speak to your barrister confidentially, no matter where you live. Obtaining a quote is free with no obligation, so you can compare quotes and choose the right expert for you. You only pay if you decide you’d like to instruct the barrister directly.

Sexual harassment in the workplace is never acceptable so if you have been affected by this behaviour, contact Barristers4U today for information and advice.

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How direct public access helps you

Historically, the public could only access barristers through a solicitor. It was the solicitor who would have to instruct a barrister to represent their client, meaning the public were unable to gain potentially crucial advice from a legal expert. Recognising this problem, regulators decided to make a series of sweeping changes in 2009 and promptly changed the regulations in order to allow direct access barristers. Ever since, members of the public have been able to go to a barrister directly, which has a range of advantages, not least a potential saving of hundreds or even thousands of pounds.

Barristers operate as specialist advisers as well as advocates. The direct public access scheme makes public access barristers a possibility, meaning members of the public are fully entitled to deal directly with their barrister, cutting out the need to spend money on instructing a solicitor at the same time.

How direct public access helps

Direct public access allows you to take responsibility, should you wish, for all of the preliminary work yourself. That work may traditionally have been undertaken by a solicitor, so there are huge potential savings on offer should you wish to contact a barrister directly.

It also allows you to control the costs yourself. As standard, you will get a breakdown of the costs for every element of your case. This will be in the form of a contract between the barrister and yourself, meaning there is no possibility of you being charged for more than what has previously been agreed.

With a direct access barrister, you will be getting a specialist in your type of case. Whether it’s social media defamation, sexual harassment, a construction dispute, family law or another matter entirely, direct access allows you to go straight to an expert. That means you’ll get impartial and honest advice over how best to take your case forward. Due to the fact barristers will have undergone years of study in their specialist field, they will be able to quickly identify all the salient features of your problem and give you the specialist advice you need.

To instruct a direct access barrister to handle your case, obtain a free, no obligation quote from Barristers4u today.

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Find an expert barrister for your sexual harassment claim

Sexual harassment in the workplace is unacceptable – period. Unfortunately, it still happens despite laws to protect workers.

What is sexual harassment?

Sexual harassment constitutes any form of behaviour of a sexual nature that is unwelcome. The majority of complainants are women, although men can also be the victims of sexual harassment.

It’s important to remember that harassment is not about having a laugh or a ‘bit of fun’, it’s about control and power. Sexual harassment can manifest itself in many different forms but can be broadly placed into three groups:

Verbal

If a colleague makes remarks about your appearance, your body or your clothes, that is deemed to be sexual harassment, as are indecent remarks, questions or comments about your sex life or requests for sexual favours, and wolf-whistling.

Threats or promises concerning the loss of your job or changes to your employment conditions in return for sexual favours are deemed to be sexual harassment.

Non-verbal

• Looking or staring at your body
• Displaying images of a sexually explicit nature i.e. pin-ups or calendars
• Sending texts of a sexual nature
• Sending emails of a sexual nature or containing explicit images

Physical

• Physical contact of any kind
• Sexual assault
• Rape

What can you do if you are a victim of sexual harassment?

If the sexual harassment continues after you have confronted the perpetrator and complained to your employer, you may seek redress through an industrial tribunal. In the event that your tribunal is unsuccessful, you should seek the advice and intervention of a solicitor or specialist employment lawyer.

However, you can also go to barristers direct for expert legal advice or representation in your case for sexual harassment, potentially saving you thousands of pounds. At Barristers4u we have over a thousand accredited barristers throughout England and Wales, so you can be sure that you will find a specialist in sexual harassment cases to represent you. For your convenience, we can set up video conferencing facilities, so that you can have confidential discussions with your barrister, wherever you are located in the UK.

If you think you are a victim of sexual harassment at work, don’t suffer in silence. You can obtain a free quote from a barrister with no obligation, so why not contact us today for more information and advice.

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