Discrimination, Uncategorized

Third of women harassed at work

Posted on by admin

Being harassed at work is in the news more than ever before following the recent allegations about Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, Bill O’Reilly, Morgan Freeman and others.

The trade union Prospect recently carried out a study surveying 7,000 workers (40% female, 60% male) across a range of industries. The women reported that:

  • 35% of them had experienced being harassed at work (62% of women aged under 30);
  • 27% had received suggestive remarks and sexual jokes;
  • 25% had received unwanted comments about their appearance;
  • 17% reported unwelcome sexual behaviour ; and
  • 14% had suffered unwanted touching, hugging or kissing.

According to the study (which confirms the results of a TUC study two years ago), the victims of sexual harassment are more likely to be under the age of 30, with the suggestion that victims are too intimidated to report sexual harassment to their employer.

Comments made by participants included:

  • ‘On the sexual harassment complaint I was made to feel like I was to blame and didn’t feel like I had much support.’
  • ‘I have lost a job after bringing up sexual harassment from a manager.’

Prospect said the study showed sexual harassment was ‘endemic  in all parts of the economy’.

This study illustrates that despite this issue rearing its head year after year, female employees are still being harassed at work. Employers can take steps to help reduce sexual harassment in the workplace, including:

  1. Extra training for all staff; and
  2. Creating a policy making it clear that sexual harassment will not be tolerated and appointing specific individuals to complain to; and
  3. Keeping records of reported sexual harassment and doing annual audits so to keep this issue on the radar.

Women report being harassed outside work as well as being harassed at work and so sexual harassment is a societal issue as much as it is a workplace issue. With much of society spending a quarter of  their lives in the workplace, eradicating sexual harassment at work would be a big step towards eradicating it elsewhere.

By Aneesha Ali-Khan