The Bill will protect workers from abuse by third parties
(Picture: AFP via Getty Images)One in five people in the UK workforce have experienced at least one form of workplace sexual harassment in the last year, the Standard can reveal.
The data, provided by the House of Commons Library and the Liberal Democrats, showed that the equivalent of 1.5 million people each year are victims of third-party abuse – such as from customers, clients and patients.
The data not only outlines the scale of sexual harassment but the lack of support for employees reporting it. The Equality and Human Rights Commission found nearly half of cases where incidents were reported resulted in the employer taking no action, minimising the incident, or placing responsibility on the employee.
It comes as the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Bill, which would make employers liable for employees experiencing sexual harassment, is set to have its second reading on Friday.
It is sponsored by Wera Hobhouse, MP for Bath, who said the Bill would “drive the change in culture that is so desperately needed”. It would fix the “gaps in our current laws by making employees liable for third-party harassment”, she said.
“A standalone preventative duty shifts the responsibility from individuals to the institution. It will prevent harassment and protect victims.”
Ms Hobhouse has worked on the Worker Protection Bill alongside the Fawcett Society, a charity campaigning for gender equality and women’s rights.
Fawcett Society chief executive Jemima Olchawski said: “For too long women have been unsafe in the workplace and for too long workplace sexual harassment has been underreported.”
The Government Equalities Office survey indicated nearly 80 per cent of female employees who experienced harassment do not report it.
For Ms Olchaski, the Bill is “a vital step forward in ending the pervasive issue of workplace sexual harassment”, as she hopes to ensure employers are “held accountable for creating safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces”.
A spokesperson from the Equalities Office said: “Sexual harassment is wrong and must be stamped out. The Equality Act 2010 already protects people who have been harassed at work, and we are committed to a new package of measures to further tackle workplace harassment.”
