A recent survey commissioned by national violence prevention organization Our Watch has revealed critical gaps in awareness of sexual harassment prevention obligations within Australian workplaces.
The survey found that 40% of workplace leaders are unaware of their new legal responsibilities to prevent sexual harassment, and only 76% of leaders know that workplace sexual harassment is illegal, despite it having been outlawed for over 40 years.
Since December 2022, Australian regulations have imposed a “positive duty” on employers, legally requiring them to take proactive steps to prevent sexual harassment. Our Watch’s survey of 1,500 leaders and employees across medium-to-large workplaces highlights that significant work remains to close these awareness gaps, with 39% of employees reporting limited knowledge of these new requirements.
While seven out of ten leaders expressed high confidence that their workplace is aware of these responsibilities, data shows a disparity in confidence levels between leaders and employees. Among employees, only 54% of women reported feeling confident in their employer’s response to sexual harassment, and just 48% believed their workplace would provide safe reporting mechanisms. Men in leadership roles displayed the highest levels of confidence in their organization’s responses, further underscoring a gap in perception.
The survey revealed additional insights:
- Gender Differences in Perceptions: Men were more likely than women to view their workplaces positively in terms of harassment prevention efforts (81% vs. 73%).
- Employee Awareness: Only 39% of employees understood the new legal requirements for preventing workplace harassment, indicating that communication around these obligations may be limited.
- Cultural Influences: Women were more likely to see issues like gender inequality and disrespect as significant drivers of workplace harassment.
Our Watch CEO Patty Kinnersly emphasized that creating a culture of safety and respect benefits both employee well-being and business productivity. “All employees should feel safe at work, and preventing workplace sexual harassment is a critical safety issue, particularly for women, people of color, and LGBTIQA+ employees. When workplaces promote respect and equality, it strengthens engagement and performance.”
The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) highlights that workplace sexual harassment has cost the economy over $3.8 billion each year, with over 40% of women and 26% of men experiencing harassment in the past five years. Evidence shows that gender inequality is one of the main drivers of these incidents.
In response to these findings, Our Watch is working with major employers across the country to expand efforts toward robust policies and strategies aimed at preventing harassment. The organization also offers free resources for all workplaces, emphasizing training and support for building safer, more equal work environments.
As Ms. Kinnersly noted, there is optimism around the progress of harassment prevention measures. Most respondents observed positive changes within their workplace policies and cultures.
To further strengthen these efforts, Our Watch is advocating for action plans that include increased female representation in leadership, equitable parental leave policies, and active bystander training, all of which can help empower employees to address and prevent inappropriate behaviors.
Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
