When more women have experienced sexual harassment at work than haven’t, it’s clear that something urgently needs to change. 

But this is the exact reality in which we find ourselves: one where facing bullying, harassment and verbal abuse is the norm. That’s according to a new study from the TUC, which found that nearly two-thirds (62%) of young women (aged between 25 and 34) have experienced sexual harassment, bullying or verbal abuse while trying to do their jobs.

To be clear, this isn’t a problem that only affects one generation. Overall, 58% of women of all ages reported this experience, noting that it happens not only in physical offices but also during virtual meetings, over email and on the phone. 

The abuse comes from colleagues and bosses, but also from third parties such as clients or customers. These are rarely one-offs: 57% of the women surveyed said they had experienced three or more incidents of bullying, while 43% said they had gone through at least three experiences of sexual harassment at work. 

When this behaviour is so normalised, it comes as little surprise that few women end up reporting incidents to their manager. Less than one in three women who experienced sexual harassment told their employer about it, pointing to concerns about not being believed or having accusations harm their relationships at work. 

The research adds further backing to the need for the proposed worker protection bill, which would task employers with the duty of preventing sexual harassment of employees, including that carried out by third parties. If the bill were to go through, companies would be liable if one of their workers faced sexual harassment by customers, clients or members of the public while on the job. 

“The bill will not change the meaning of harassment under the law,” explains The Fawcett Society. “What it will do is shift the onus onto employers to stop sexual harassment from happening in the first place by taking reasonable steps to address the risks that can enable sexual harassment while at work. This will create culture change – ensuring focus shifts from redress to prevention.”

“Ministers must urgently ensure this bill passes in full or they will let down working women right across the country.”

Images: Getty