New chatbot released that answers questions on workplace sexual harassment

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Joanne Swann
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In celebration of International Women’s Day, a chatbot that answers questions on workplace sexual harassment is now free for all to use.

A UK based tech-for-good company is celebrating International Women’s Day by giving free access to its AI chatbot trained on the UK Equality Act.

The chatbot allows workers to easily find out if they have been victims of workplace sexual harassment, discrimination, racism and more.

Trained on the UK Equality Act, workers can ask questions like: ‘My boss keeps making lewd comments when I’m alone in his office. Is this sexual harassment?’

Originally the chatbot was created to be part of the SaferSpace app, that employers licence to benefit their staff, but the app’s two female founders have decided to make the chatbot part of the app free for everyone to use.

Ruth said:

We keep reading stories about workplace misconduct, especially sexual harassment from all  sectors and corners of the UK – from MacDonald’s to the military – it’s so prevalent.

Ruth Sparkes, SafeSpace co-founder

The statistics make for sober reading:

  •         58 per cent of women have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace. (Source: TUC)
  •       On campus, 68 per cent of students have suffered harassment. (Source: NUS)
  •         .. 79 per cent of victims don’t report it – that’s 8 out of 10 people! (Source: Fawcett Society)

SaferSpace co-founder Ruth Sparkes explained:

These are shocking figures; we should all be appalled by them. There are various reasons why victims don’t report when they have suffered misconduct at work, but one of the main reasons is that victims are often unsure that what they’ve experienced actually constitutes a complaint – our chatbot can help answer their questions. It’s time to break the silence.

The chatbot is available to anyone with internet access, requiring no subscription or payment. Users simply need to click the ‘thumbs up’ chatbot icon on the SaferSpace website (https://saferspace.io) to start their enquiry.

SaferSpace’s initiative is particularly timely, reflecting a growing recognition of the challenges women face in the workplace, from discrimination and harassment to unequal pay and opportunities for advancement.

By providing a resource that is both easy to use and informative, the duo aim to help individuals to advocate for themselves and for others. Sunita Gordon, SaferSpace’s other co-founder said:

What we’re trying to do is to promote a culture of safety and equality in the workplace. We believe that technology can and should be used for social good. By making our chatbot freely accessible, we hope to inspire positive change and support the movement towards greater inclusion across all sectors.

Sunita Gordon, SaferSpace’s other co-founder

As we celebrate International Women’s Day, SaferSpace invites individuals and organisations alike to explore the capabilities of their new chatbot and join them in their mission to promote worker protection, inclusion, and equality.

Joanne Swann, Content Manager, WorkWellPro
Editor at Workplace Wellbeing Professional | Website |  + posts

Joanne is the editor for Workplace Wellbeing Professional and has a keen interest in promoting the safety and wellbeing of the global workforce. After earning a bachelor's degree in English literature and media studies, she taught English in China and Vietnam for two years. Before joining Work Well Pro, Joanne worked as a marketing coordinator for luxury property, where her responsibilities included blog writing, photography, and video creation.

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