Sexual harassment in wokplace a form of aggesssion
To mark International Women’s Day this past March 8, which focused on “violence against women,” the International Labour Organization is highlighting the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace – an often subtle but disturbing form of aggression.
Sisandra, 28, understands all too well the impact of sexual harassment in the workplace.
As a telecommunications technician in Durban, South Africa, she works in a male-dominated environment.
“My executive manager came to the office and asked for my number and I gave it to him. I did not ask him why he wanted my number as he is a senior person and respected by all in the company because of his position. He then started touching my breast and private parts.”
“I started feeling very uncomfortable and stopped him. I then walked out of the office and told him that I was going to report this to my supervisor. I felt violated and scared. Even though I said I was going to report this, I felt I could not because I thought I could easily lose my job if I told,” she recalls.
Sisandra’s experience is not uncommon. According to UN figures, between 40 and 50 per cent of women in the European Union experience unwanted sexual advances, physical contact, verbal suggestions or other forms of sexual harassment at their workplace; in Asia-Pacific countries it is 30 to 40 per cent.
In Australia, according to the country’s Human Rights Commission,25 per cent of women have been sexually harassed in the workplace. Men can also be victims of workplace sexual harassment but this is much less common.