Leader of U.S. anti-harassment group Time's Up resigns

[February 19, 2019]    (Reuters) - The president and chief executive of Time's Up, a group dedicated to fighting sexual discrimination and harassment in the workplace, has resigned in order to focus on undisclosed family concerns, Time's Up said on Monday.

Lisa Borders speaks to Oprah Winfrey on stage during a taping of her TV show in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., February 5, 2019. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

"It is with deep regret that I must resign from Time's Up to address family concerns that require my singular focus," Lisa Borders said in a statement.

Chief Operating Officer Rebecca Goldman will serve as interim chief executive while Time's Up searches for a replacement, the group said.

Time's Up formed in the fall of 2017 amid a wave of U.S. media reports about sexual assault and harassment accusations against rich and powerful men in the media, show business and politics.

It shot to prominence during the televised Academy Awards ceremony in March 2018 when celebrities wore Time's Up pins and awards presenters promoted the cause.

The hashtags #TimesUp and the previously existing #MeToo have been have been used to galvanize activism around women's rights on social media.

Time's Up has formed a legal defense fund to help those who have suffered sexual harassment and retaliation and has partnered with other groups to promote education about workplace rights.

(Reporting by Daniel Trotta)

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