Sexual Harassment Training
Did you know that one in three people have experienced some form of sexual harassment over the last five years?
In fact, a survey undertaken by the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) found that around 50% of respondents had experienced sexual harassment but that only 27% made a formal complaint.
Definition
The legal definition of sexual harassment is:
An unwelcome sexual advance, unwelcome request for sexual favours or other unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, which makes a person feel offended, humiliated and/or intimidated, where a reasonable person would anticipate that reaction in the circumstances.
The Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (SDA) makes sexual harassment unlawful in many areas of public life, including employment situations.
Harassing Behaviours
The SDA also sets out the nature and circumstances under which sexual harassment will be considered unlawful.
Examples of sexually harassing behaviour include:
Unwanted touching
Staring
Suggestive comments
Requests for sex
Unwanted invitations to go out on dates
Sexually explicit pictures
Insults and taunts around sex
Explicit physical contact
Explicit emails, text messages and communication
Effects of Harassment
In 2018 the Australian Human Rights Commission found that whilst both men and women experienced sexual harassment, women were significantly more likely to experience it than men. They were also more likely to suffer adverse and negative mental health and career progression issues from it.
By far the biggest reasons given for people not reporting sexual harassment is the fear of negative consequences and a general distrust of the complaints process.
Businesses must take a proactive approach to the prevention of and managing of sexual harassment, as it can have a devastating effect, creating a toxic environment that impacts employee morale, company reputation and profitability.
Organisational Responsibility
Safe Work Australia provides national guidance material on educating for the prevention of sexual harassment in the workplace. As sexual harassment is a workplace hazard, organisations must manage the risks as a part of their approach to workplace health and safety.
Workplaces can help prevent sexual harassment by:
Creating a safe physical and online working environment
Providing sexual harassment training for employees focussing on the importance of preventing and addressing it in the workplace
Addressing unwanted or offensive behaviour early
Encouraging the reporting of sexual harassment and having effective complaints procedures
The #MeToo movement that came out of the entertainment industry in America, has helped to shine a light on workplace sexual harassment and has certainly had some effect on changing attitudes towards this behaviour. However, more work needs to be done to shift engrained organisational culture. Victims must have faith that their voices will be heard and that their workplaces will deal with it appropriately.
Here at MJSP, we offer an online sexual harassment training module to provide you and your organisation with the information and knowledge you need to provide a safe working environment for your employees. Or, to enquire about training personalised to your organisation’s needs, contact us today at admin@mjsp.com.au.