Senate Passes Hassan-Backed Bipartisan Bill to Support Survivors of Sexual Assault and Harassment, Legislation Heads to President’s Desk

WASHINGTON – Today the U.S. Senate passed bipartisan legislation cosponsored by Senator Maggie Hassan that would stop perpetrators from being able to push survivors of sexual harassment and assault into secretive, forced arbitration proceedings. The legislation now goes to the President’s desk to be signed into law.

“Survivors of sexual assault and harassment should be able to hold their perpetrators accountable,” Senator Hassan said. “This bipartisan bill helps those who experience sexual assault or harassment in the workplace seek justice by ensuring that they are not forced into secret arbitration proceedings, and I look forward to the President swiftly signing this critical bill into law.”

The Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault & Sexual Harassment Act would invalidate forced arbitration clauses that prevent sexual assault and sexual harassment survivors from seeking justice and public accountability under the laws meant to protect them.

Senator Hassan is working to provide support to survivors of sexual harassment and violent crimes. Last year, President Biden signed into law bipartisan legislation supported by Senator Hassan to strengthen support for victims of violent crimes by preventing deep cuts to programs that provide critical support and compensation to survivors of violent crimes, including survivors of child abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking, through the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA). Additionally, the Senator introduced bipartisan legislation to allow individuals to seek compensation and relief in federal court for the non-consensual disclosure and transmission of intimate images of them, often referred to as “revenge porn.”

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