Sexual harassment at work ‘endemic’ says STUC
Scotland’s largest trade union body have revealed the extent of abuse within the workplace as the STUC Women’s Committee publish the findings of their ‘Still Silent?’ report into sexual harassment.
The report, which reveals an increase in the amount of sexual harassment experienced by women online, further labelled the abuse as “endemic” within the workplace. Respondents stated that little improvement had been made since the STUC Women’s Committee launched their initial ‘Silence is Compliance’ report in 2022 which showed more than 50% of women experiencing harassment within the workplace.
The new report welcomes the incoming Workers Protection Act (2023) which introduces a new duty on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their workers. The news comes as the STUC Women’s Conference takes place this week in Glasgow.
Commenting, STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said:
“As STUC Women’s Conference begins, the results of our ‘Still Silent’ report brings home the need for employers to take urgent action to make workplaces safe for women.
“From the office to online, harassment towards women is endemic and we must take a zero-tolerance approach and report, without fear or favour, the perpetrators of abuse.
“The new Worker Protection Act (2023) will, hopefully, go some way in holding employers to account for any harassment conducted within the workplace. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Sexual harassment doesn’t just confine itself to office hours. We need governments to take seriously their duty to protect women from abuse and our STUC Women’s Conference will leave no stone unturned in calling out those who must do more to protect women from abuse both within and outwith the workplace.
Commenting, STUC Women’s Committee Chair Lorna Glen said:
“The STUC Women’s Committee ‘Still Silent’ report can act as a catalyst for change for women across our workplaces. Their voices matter and they should no longer suffer in silence whilst sexual harassment shows no sign of abating within the workplace.
“From an increase in online abuse to women feeling there has been little change in emphasis from employers in stamping out harassment, we can ill afford to have our voices ignored by those in power.
“Our Conference this week makes clear that far more must be done. The new Workers Protection Act is a start, but we must redouble our efforts to make sure every woman, from every corner of Scotland, feels safe and secure in their work, free from abuse and harassment that damages the lives of so many.
END
To view a copy of the report click this link: https://www.stuc.org.uk/resources/still-silent-stuc-womens-committee-survey-of-women-in-scotlands-experiences-of-sexual-harassment.pdf
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