Fawcett Society Sexual Harassment at Work Report

A new report produced by the Fawcett Society in partnership with Chwarae Teg, Women’s Resource and Development Agency, Close the Gap and supported by TIME’S UP UK and Rosa, shines a light on sexual harassment in UK workplaces and equips employers with the understanding to tackle the root causes of this form of abuse.

Despite the pandemic, harassment has not stopped, it has simply moved online and into workers’ homes.

The report found that:

• At least 40% of women experience sexual harassment during the course of their career;
• 45% of women reported experiencing sexual harassment online through sexual messages and calls, and cyber harassment;
• Almost 25% of women who had been sexually harassed said that whilst working from home since the start of the pandemic, the harassment had increased or escalated;
• 68% of disabled women reported being sexually harassed at work, compared to 52% of women in general;
• 32% of ethnic minority workers (women and men) reported higher rates of sexual harassment compared to 28% of white workers, over the last 12 months;
• 68% of LGBTQ+ workers had experienced some form of harassment in the workplace.

The report identifies five key elements to help to create a workplace that does not tolerate sexual harassment:

1. Culture change efforts
2. Sexual harassment policies
3. Anti-sexual harassment training
4. Reporting sexual harassment
5. Employer responses to reports of sexual harassment

To read the report in full, click here.

At Rahman Lowe, our employment solicitors regularly advise clients on all aspects of discrimination law under the Equality Act 2010, and in particular, sex discrimination claims. For further information or to speak to one of our highly experienced employment law solicitors, please contact us on 0207 956 8699 or info@rllaw.co.uk. We are ranked as a ‘Leading Firm’ in the Legal 500 independent guides to the UK Legal Profession.