Watertown’s Eliza Dushku Attends White House Signing of Bill That Ends Forced Arbitration in Sexual Assault, Harassment Cases

Watertown’s Eliza Dushku visited the White House last week to attend President Biden’s signing of a bill that ends forced arbitration in cases of sexual assault and sexual harassment in the workplace and to allow survivors to file lawsuits in court against perpetrators.

Dushku has been outspoken about issue since she went public with her experience on the set of the CBS show Bull, where she said she was sexually harassed by the show’s star. In November 2021, she was one of several women who testified before the House Judiciary Committee.

After the signing, Dusku sent out a Tweet saying: “FORCED arbitration FOR sexual harassment & assault is officially OVER!”

When she testified before Congress, Dushku said that now when her name is brought up, it is not for her acting, producing or other work.

“I’ve been reduced to being Eliza Dushku who was paid off for ‘allegedly’ being sexually harassed on a TV series,” Dushku said.

Thank YOU!! @RepCheri @POTUS @KamalaHarris @TSpottiswoode @andowah @GretchenCarlson @WhiteHouse 🖊📃 FORCED arbitration FOR sexual harassment & assault Is officially OVER! https://t.co/V8osqDTByC — Eliza Dushku (@elizadushku) March 3, 2022

CBS and Dushku reached a $9.5 million settlement in 2018 after she alleged that her character was written off the show after she made complaints about the behavior of Michael Weatherly, including making a rape joke to her.

In an opinion piece she wrote for the Boston Globe, Dushku wrote:

“According to the fine print in my contract with CBS, I was required to submit to a ‘confidential’ arbitration, where all ‘proceedings will be closed to the public and confidential, and all records relating thereto will be permanently sealed.’ No judge, no jury, and no chance of anyone finding out what really happened (or so they hoped).”