The St. John’s Status of Women’s Council has heard from young women about harassment first brought to light earlier this week.

VOCM News first revealed that cashiers at a Mount Pearl grocery story were reporting disturbing unwanted and unwelcome comments and even touching from some customers.

While the store management is working with staff to keep them safe, Executive Director of the St. John’s Status of Women’s Council, Laura Winters says it speaks to a much larger problem when it comes to violence against women.

She calls it a societal issue, about how we treat and respect each other.

She applauds those who have stepped forward publicly, but says the conversation has to shift from what can women do to keep themselves safe, to what can be done to have men stop behaving in that way.