Almost a third of people have experienced sexually inappropriate behaviour at work, but only half have felt confident enough to report it, a new poll has shown.
Employees experienced groping, stroking, inappropriate comments and even threats that their career might suffer if they did not return sexual advances, according to the survey by The Barrister Group.
The survey found that 29% of workers had experienced sexually inappropriate behaviour, split between 31% of women and 26% of men. More than two-thirds (69%) said the behaviour came from someone more senior.
Almost half (48%) did not report the matter and of those who did, many said they felt awkward, isolated, were accused of overreacting and, in 12% of cases, forced to find another job.
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Those who did not report an incident said they felt they wouldn’t be believed or taken seriously, while some thought they would be blamed.
Although most respondents claimed they knew what constituted inappropriate behaviour, a third did not think touching someone’s breasts, slapping a colleague’s bum or making sexual comments about someone’s appearance was wrong.
Thirty-four percent of employees felt their employer was complicit and happy to “look the other way”, and just under a quarter (23%) said their workplace was misogynistic.
Employment barrister Dr Anna Loufti from The Barrister Group said the findings were “hugely disappointing”, particularly in the current climate.
“Recent celebrity scandals may have heightened public awareness of what constitutes inappropriate behaviour, but the reality seems to be that far too many people are still putting up with it for fear that they will be seen as the problem rather than the perpetrator. That is fundamentally wrong and must be addressed.”
She added that employers needed to ensure they had policies in place that make clear what constitutes sexually inappropriate behaviour.
“There is obviously a distinction between what is unlawful and what is inappropriate, but both are unacceptable in the workplace,” she added. “Employers have a legal duty of care and employees have a right to expect that they will not be made to feel uncomfortable, intimidated or violated in the course of their work.
“There needs to be a culture of openness and transparency, where employees feel empowered to report inappropriate behaviour and are confident that when they do they will be supported and the necessary action will be taken.”
A bill designed to protect employees against harassment and require employers to operate a tighter duty of care in terms of preventing sexual harassment was watered down in the House of Lords this summer.
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