New federal data indicates sexual harassment claims increased 12 percent year-over-year. This increase is timely now considering the revelations against Harvey Weinstein emerged one year ago, in October 2017.
The number comes from the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission. The agency also said they filed 66 harassment lawsuits over the past fiscal year, a 50 percent increase over the year prior. (h/t Variety)
The EEOC only contains a fraction of the overall claims, but the increase should not be ignored. From 2010 to 2017, harassment claims actually decreased by about 15 percent. The increase over the past year would seem to have correlation with the #MeToo movement. For comparison’s sake, the nation also saw an increase in claims following the infamous Anita Hill hearings in 1991. Claims rose 53 percent in 1992.