Sexual harassment in Australia

Australian Human Rights Commission work

On 3 November, Commissioner Broderick released Sexual harassment: Serious business, the results of the 2008 national telephone survey on sexual harassment.

On November 12, Ms Broderick released Effectively preventing and responding to sexual harassment: A Code of Practice for Employers (2008 edition) as well as a Quick Guide to this publication. She also co-hosted an employer forum with the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry on effectively preventing and responding to sexual harassment.

The Commission is also promoting law reform to provide better protection from sexual harassment. See Laws to address sex discrimination and promote gender equality.

Publications

Recent speeches and media

Improper sexual behaviour still rife
Published in The Canberra Times, 6 February 2008
Let’s not take another quarter century to end sexual harassment
Published in The Advertiser, 11 January 2008

Sexual harassment

Despite 24 years of legislation, sexual harassment remains a problem in our workplaces. Sexual harassment comes at a considerable cost, both to affected individuals and to business. It is important that employers take active steps to prevent sexual harassment and respond effectively when it occurs.

Sexual harassment is defined in the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) as ‘any unwelcome or unwanted sexual behaviour which makes a person feel offended, humiliated and /or intimidated where that reaction is reasonable in the circumstance’.

A national telephone survey conducted by the Australian Human Rights Commission in 2008 has found that 22% of females and 5% of males had experienced sexual harassment in the workplace at some time, compared to 28% of females and 7% of males in 2003.
The 2008 survey also found a lack of understanding as to what sexual harassment is. Around one in five (22%) respondents who said they had not experienced ‘sexual harassment’¹ then went on to report having experienced behaviours that may in fact amount to sexual harassment under the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth).
In the 2008 national telephone survey, only 16% of those who have been sexually harassed in the last five years in the workplace formally reported or made a complaint, compared to 32% in 2003.
Nearly one in five complaints received by the Australian Human Rights Commission under the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) relate to sexual harassment. The vast majority of these take place in the workplace.

What is Commissioner Broderick’s plan for reducing sexual harassment in Australia?

Commissioner Broderick will conduct a national telephone survey to track trends in the incidence and nature of sexual harassment. The research will inform an education strategy using new technologies, aimed at employees and employers to drive down the incidence and impact of sexual harassment. The Commissioner will work to increase the number of employers taking a leadership role on sexual harassment.

Site navigation

Sex Discrimination navigation