L'Oréal Paris Launches Powerful New Campaign to 'Stand Up' Against Street Harassment

L'Oréal Paris USA

L'Oréal Paris has been empowering women with its tagline, "Because you're worth it," for years, and now the company is furthering its message. The global beauty brand just launched a new campaign to "Stand Up" to street harassment.

After commissioning a study in which the brand asked women across the world about the biggest issues they face today, one common problem kept coming up — harassment that occurs while walking down the street.

"We also learned that this form of 'street harassment' is not really about sex – it is about power and control over women. Women tell us that the experience of being harassed on the street robs them of their dignity, sense of security and their feelings of self-worth," L'Oréal Paris says in a statement shared with PEOPLE.

So starting now and through 2021, L'Oréal Paris is partnering with Hollaback, a leading grassroots organization that combats street harassment, to give people the tools to start making a change.

"We see it happen, everywhere at any time. 78% of women have experienced sexual harassment in public spaces, like a suggestive comment, a sexually explicit touch, an inappropriate gesture or being followed," L'Oréal Paris said in its Stand Up public service announcement, which depicts women during various moments of public harassment encounters.

Since bystanders often "stay cautiously silent or often look away," L'Oréal Paris and Hollaback developed educational resources on Stand Up's website, which includes both digital and live workshops explaining the "5Ds."

The "5Ds" are ways for people to learn how to safely help in street harassment situations. There's "Distract" (pretend to be friends, ask for the time, cause a distraction), "Delegate" (find someone who can help and ask them to intervene), "Document" (watch and witness and offer to report), "Direct" (ask the harasser to stop, step in and defend, call for help) and "Delay" (comfort the person after and acknowledge the behavior was wrong).

L'Oréal Paris says, "We will give people an opportunity to STAND UP for women – and create a culture and community of respect, dignity and worth."

For more information about Stand Up's events and training, head to the campaign website.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.