Eight Goals One Foundation (8one) has launched a new awareness campaign titled #YouKNOW, aimed at addressing the cultural and institutional challenges related to workplace sexual harassment in India.
The campaign features a distorted spelling of the phrase “STOP SEXUAL HARASSMENT” as “STOP SXEAUL HRASASMNET.” Accompanied by the line “No matter how it is twisted, you know it is sexual harassment,” the visual is designed to highlight recognition of harassment regardless of how it is framed.
The campaign is based on findings from a four-year study conducted by 8one between 2020 and 2023. According to the organisation, “fear of not being believed” was among the top three reasons women chose not to report harassment, in both formal and informal sectors. In the informal and gig economies, the study noted that many respondents who reported incidents said they did not receive follow-up, or were advised to adjust.
The campaign addresses issues related to underreporting, and the role of bystander awareness in the workplace. It also refers to findings that show 61% of formal-sector employees surveyed were unsure of how to collect or preserve evidence of harassment. The study further states that the presence of Internal Committees (ICs) or Local Committees (LCs), mandated under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, remains limited or unknown in many informal work settings.
The campaign also includes a public survey and digital outreach. According to 8one, professionals across sectors, including HR, legal, and design, have engaged with the campaign.
#YouKNOW is part of a broader initiative by 8one to improve institutional response and increase awareness around the processes and challenges of reporting workplace sexual harassment.