Sexual harassment surveys

Wales TUC has launched a new survey into sexual harassment at work following an increase in workers reporting the issue to their unions over the course of the pandemic.

The union body said workers have complained of colleagues making inappropriate comments about seeing inside their bedrooms, and bosses making unreasonable demands of what they should wear on camera.

Others have received inappropriate comments over staff WhatsApp groups, and some have had to be in a workplace alongside a perpetrator in smaller groups than usual.

“The trade union movement is absolutely vital to stamping out this behaviour,” said Wales TUC general secretary Shavanah Taj. “The results of our new sexual harassment survey will help us give reps the skills and know-how needed to combat perpetrators and improve the safety and mental wellbeing of people at work.”

The BFAWU foodworkers’ union has surveyed its members about their experience of sexual harassment in their workplaces, work and union events, and within the union itself.

BFAWU general secretary Sarah Woolley said responses to its survey revealed “a culture of sexual harassment” in the food industry, “and even violence being brushed off as banter, swept under the carpet and ignored, or the survivor being blamed”.

She reported problems with customers acting inappropriately and not being challenged by management, as well as a general lack of knowledge and visibility of clear policies and how to report incidents.

https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/wales-tuc-launches-investigation-sexual-harassment-work

https://www.bfawu.org/bfawu-launches-sexual-harassment-survey