1 in 7 Australians admit to engaging in workplace technology-facilitated sexual harassment

Sexual harassment in the workplace

According to an Australian Human Rights Commission investigation, 1 in 3 individuals have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace in the last 5 years.

New technologies in the workplace create new mediums for sexual harassment, and employers and staff need support on how to prevent and respond to the potential harms. WTFSH (Workplace technology-facilitated harassment) encompasses unwelcome or harassing sexual behaviour using digital technologies within a workplace setting, occurring during or after working hours.

A recent national study conducted by ANROWS examined workplace technology-facilitated sexual harassment (WTFSH) in Australia, revealing alarming trends.

1 in 7 Australian adults surveyed report engaging in WTFSH.

Study from Monash and RMIT University

Led by Associate Professor Asher Flynn from Monash University and Professor Anastasia Powell from RMIT University, the study featured: 20 in-depth interviews with industry stakeholders, a national survey with over 3,300 Australian adults, and focus groups with young adults to identify current gaps in WTFSH response mechanisms.

Some key findings were:

• While most people who reported engaging in WTFSH said they did so because they thought the other person would be okay with it (52%) or be flattered (45%), 1 in 4 said they were motivated by negative feelings like wanting to humiliate (30%), frighten (30%), or hurt the feelings of (30%) the victim and survivor.
• 24% of men admitting to engaging in WTFSH compared to 7% of women, in the survey group.
• 45% of perpetrators worked in male-majority workplaces.
• Reports of WTFSH were somewhat lower in workplaces with roughly equal numbers of men and women (39%) and lower again in female-majority workplaces (16%).

The survey found that a quarter of perpetrators reported malicious intent, aiming to annoy, humiliate, frighten, hurt feelings, or express anger towards the victim.

Common platforms for WTFSH included work emails, personal phones, personal email, and work phones. Despite its prevalence, only 39% of perpetrators faced formal reports or complaints.

Statements from researchers

Dr. Tessa Boyd-Caine, CEO of ANROWS, emphasised the urgency of addressing this gap, urging employers to integrate safety into workplace cultures and technologies. She said:

“Policymakers must prioritise implementing effective measures to prevent and address these behaviours."

The report provides valuable insights to aid Australian employers and policymakers in combating technology-based sexual harassment in the workplace.
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Sources

Time for respect: Fifth national survey on sexual harassment in Australian workplaces by Australian Human Rights Commission, 30th November, 2022.

Flynn, A., Powell, A., & Wheildon, L. (2024). Workplace technology-facilitated sexual harassment: Perpetration, responses and prevention (Research report, 03/2024). ANROWS.

Report: Technology-facilitated harassment rife in workplaces by NSCA Foundation, 13th May, 2024.

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