Tories told don't block work harassment law as 2 in 3 young women suffer abuse
Three in five women have experienced sexual harassment or bullying at work – rising to nearly two in three younger women, a poll reveals today.
Research for the Trades Unions Congress (TUC) found 58% of women reported suffering harassment or abuse in the workplace.
Among women aged between 25 and 34-years-old, 62% said they had been harassed while trying to do their jobs.
Most victims said they hadn't reported these incidents for fear they won't be believed or it could damage their career.
Only 30% of women who say they experienced sexual harassment at work told their employer about what was happening – and only two in five 44% of those being bullied and 50% experiencing verbal abuse reported it.
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Some 39% of incidents involved customers or clients, rather than fellow employees, the survey found.
General Secretary of the TUC Paul Nowak (Reach Commissioned)The grim findings come amid fears ministers will backtrack on a planned shake-up of the law to protect workers from sexual harassment and assault at work.
The Worker Protection Bill, brought in by Lib Dem MP Wera Hobhouse, would introduce a new preventative duty on employers to tackle sexual harassment in the workplace.
But a group of senior Conservatives are plotting to block the bill, with right-wing ex-minister Lord Frost dismissing it as a “woke, socialist measure” which he claims would “have a chilling effect on every conversation in a workplace”.
TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “Every woman should be safe from sexual harassment.
"But every day we hear stories about the extent of sexual harassment in our workplaces. And we know many women in public-facing jobs – like retail workers and GP receptionists – suffer regular abuse from customers and patients.
"Sexual harassment and bullying have no place in modern workplaces.”
Mr Nowak warned ministers were "backsliding" on new legislation to tackle the problem due to Tory pressure.
Liberal Dem MP Wera Hobhouse said: “Sexual harassment and bullying have absolutely no place in our society, let alone in the workplace.
“It is completely unacceptable that so many women have been a victim in a place they should be protected but feel forced to stay silent for fear of putting their career in jeopardy.
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“Employers must be part of the culture change that eradicates this perception, that is why the Worker Protection Bill is so crucial.
“I have been working closely with the Government to ensure these vital protections, which are long overdue, are not scrapped and I will continue to do whatever I can to protect victims of harassment and bullying in the workplace.”
A spokesperson for the Government's Equality Hub said: "There is no place for harassment of any kind. The Worker Protection Bill seeks to strengthen protections against harassment in the workplace.
"We are aware of concerns raised by some parliamentarians about the balance the Bill strikes between protecting free speech and tackling harassment.
"We have made amendments to the Bill to address these concerns but will study closely any amendments in Parliament."
:: Opinium surveyed 1,010 working women in the UK aged over 18, between 20-26 April.
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