LETTER TO EDITORS OF MELBOURNE METRO NEWSPAPERS

RE WESTCO   T-SHIRT   DEBATE

April 2004

Dear Editor

It is the irresponsible employer that places staff in such a position where they, in fact a young women, are the product.  It shows incredible disregard and disrespect for young women including the employees and their customers, many of whom are young women.  This is an issue for our whole community and shows some similarity to the current debate surrounding footballers attitudes and behaviour.

We applaud the efforts of the individual young woman who had the guts to take on her employer and say no.  What happened?  She got sent home.  It is time all our community supported young women and stopped explaining away and excusing harassment and criminal behaviour.

Rosemary Hehir

CEO

YWCA Victoria