Author Archives: The Voice

This week, Wera Hobhouse’s Bill aimed at tackling sexual harassment in the workplace cleared its Commons stages. It will now be considered by the House of Lords and we hope that, like Wendy Chanberlain’s Carer’s Leave Bill it will be law later this year.

In an email to party members, Wera set out why her Bill is so important and what it will do.

The 2018 Presidents Club scandal highlighted the extent to which current law does not protect people.

In that instance, businessmen allegedly sexually harassed young female hostesses at a notorious men-only dinner, after being instructed to wear “black, sexy shoes” and black underwear.

Those women, who faced violations of their dignity, would not have had protection from the law as it stands.

Sexual harassment by third parties is a major problem in the UK. A 2017 survey suggested 18% of those who experienced workplace sexual harassment said the perpetrators were clients or customers. Some 1.5 million people have been harassed by a third party, meaning that clients or customers were allowed to harass 1.5 million workers.

Workplace sexual harassment is widespread and widely under-reported. A TUC survey suggested 79% of women do not report their experience of sexual harassment, for many reasons, including fear of repercussions, lack of awareness regarding their rights, and fear of not being taken seriously.

Those concerns are heightened for people of colour, people in the LGBT+ community, and people with disabilities, who already face greater discrimination in the workplace. It is understandable why people do not come forward.

For one, it is not just third parties who harass people, with 20% of surveyed women suggesting their direct manager or someone else with direct authority over them was the perpetrator. It therefore goes without saying that any reporting could have direct career implications for those involved.

Whether sexual harassment is by a third party or not, employers have not done enough to prevent and punish it. The Equality and Human Rights Commission found that in nearly half of cases reported, the employer took no action, minimised the incident or placed the responsibility on the employee to avoid the harasser.