Dismantling Workplace Sexual Harassment with Refinery29
In today’s edition of Refinery29 (the top article!) Karen Iles and Amanda Morgan write about The Unique Challenges Faced By First Nations Women In Reporting Workplace Sexual Harassment & Assault
“It can be really hard to find someone to disclose/report sexual harassment and sexual assault to full stop. It can be hard to navigate the processes and find someone who “gets it”. Women can be worried that if they report nothing will happen, or worse, that they could be blamed. For Indigenous women the likelihood of sexual harassment is higher and the barriers to reporting more prevalent. But there is a lot that businesses and organisations can do to improve how they equip themselves to be culturally and trauma informed in providing a safe workplace free of sexual harassment.” Karen Iles, Director & Principal Solicitor Violet Co
Workplace Sexual Harassment cuts across every industry, every pay grade and is more likely if you are Indigenous.
“It is a small comfort to see workplaces finally acknowledging the sexual harassment that occurs, but it is not enough. Organisations need to make it *safe* for employees to speak up. This means having an Indigenous woman or non-binary Indigenous person to speak to, who is trauma-informed and non-judgemental. For Indigenous women this can often mean finding another Indigenous woman to disclose their experience to. Unfortunately, there just aren't many Indigenous women high up in Human Resources departments, management or on the Board’s of organisations!” Amanda Morgan, Paralegal Violet Co
Sexual harassment is gendered. It is predominantly used by men, exerts power over, and is experienced by women. It is intersectional, that is to say it is more prevalent and exacerbated for women who have other “intersections” of “diversity” e.g. Indigenous women, women of colour, trans women, non-binary people, lesbian women, women experiencing disability etc.
The 2020 Respect@Work: Sexual Harassment National Inquiry Report here reiterates 2018 data* that “two in five women (39%) and just over one in four men (26%) have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace in the past five years. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were more likely to have experienced workplace sexual harassment than people who are non-Indigenous (53% and 32% respectively).”
“Sexual harassment is not a women’s issue: it is a societal issue, which every Australian, and every Australian workplace, can contribute to addressing. Workplace sexual harassment is not inevitable. It is not acceptable. It is preventable.” Kate Jenkins, Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission
To find out more about what you can do in your business or organisation to create a workplace free from sexual harassment, or to get help yourself if you have experienced sexual harassment, please reach out to us. Send an email to office@violetco.com.au to make time for a conversation.
* Reference: Australian Human Rights Commission, Everyone’s Business: Fourth National Survey on Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces (2018) 8.