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| Half of women 'sexually harassed at work' - TUC survey | Half of women 'sexually harassed at work' - TUC survey |
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| More than half of women say they have been sexually harassed at work and most admit to not reporting it, new research by the TUC suggests. | More than half of women say they have been sexually harassed at work and most admit to not reporting it, new research by the TUC suggests. |
| A survey of 1,500 women found a third had been subjected to unwelcome jokes and a quarter had experienced unwanted touching. | A survey of 1,500 women found a third had been subjected to unwelcome jokes and a quarter had experienced unwanted touching. |
| TUC head Frances O'Grady said it left women feeling ashamed and frightened. | TUC head Frances O'Grady said it left women feeling ashamed and frightened. |
| She called it a "scandal" that so few women felt their bosses were dealing with the issue properly. | She called it a "scandal" that so few women felt their bosses were dealing with the issue properly. |
| Sexual harassment at work can take many forms, from inappropriate comments and jokes about a colleague's sex life to unwanted touching, hugging or kissing, and even demands for sexual favours, the TUC said. | Sexual harassment at work can take many forms, from inappropriate comments and jokes about a colleague's sex life to unwanted touching, hugging or kissing, and even demands for sexual favours, the TUC said. |
| Managers | Managers |
| In nine out of 10 cases the perpetrator was male and nearly one in five women (17%) said it was their line manager, or someone with direct authority over them. | In nine out of 10 cases the perpetrator was male and nearly one in five women (17%) said it was their line manager, or someone with direct authority over them. |
| Most (79%) of the women who said they were victims of sexual harassment did not tell their employer. | Most (79%) of the women who said they were victims of sexual harassment did not tell their employer. |
| Reasons given included fear that reporting would affect their relationships at work (28%) or their career prospects (15%). | Reasons given included fear that reporting would affect their relationships at work (28%) or their career prospects (15%). |
| Nearly a quarter (24%) of those who did not report abuse said it was because they felt that they would not be believed or taken seriously and 20% said they were too embarrassed. | |
| The proportion of women facing harassment is higher among the youngest workers - nearly two-thirds (63%) of the 138 women aged between 18 and 24 surveyed said they had been sexually harassed at work. | The proportion of women facing harassment is higher among the youngest workers - nearly two-thirds (63%) of the 138 women aged between 18 and 24 surveyed said they had been sexually harassed at work. |
| Young women are often on casual contracts, such as temporary agency or zero-hours contracts. They are also likely to be in more junior roles, all of which may be factors in sexual harassment, says the TUC. | Young women are often on casual contracts, such as temporary agency or zero-hours contracts. They are also likely to be in more junior roles, all of which may be factors in sexual harassment, says the TUC. |
| The TUC survey also found: | The TUC survey also found: |
| 'Sexual comments' | 'Sexual comments' |
| One young woman told the TUC anonymously that in her previous job she worked in an almost exclusively male salesroom. | One young woman told the TUC anonymously that in her previous job she worked in an almost exclusively male salesroom. |
| "Sexual comments about me or others, either to me or overheard in my presence, were a fact of daily working life. Some of those comments were violent in nature," she said. | "Sexual comments about me or others, either to me or overheard in my presence, were a fact of daily working life. Some of those comments were violent in nature," she said. |
| Another woman told the TUC: "One colleague would constantly try to humiliate me in front of 10 to 16 people at a time. Because he was older and a dad, the younger guys looked up to him." | Another woman told the TUC: "One colleague would constantly try to humiliate me in front of 10 to 16 people at a time. Because he was older and a dad, the younger guys looked up to him." |
| Laura Bates, founder of the Everyday Sexism Project which helped with the report, said many people would like to think that workplace sexual harassment was a thing of the past. | Laura Bates, founder of the Everyday Sexism Project which helped with the report, said many people would like to think that workplace sexual harassment was a thing of the past. |
| "In reality it is alive and well, and having a huge impact on tens of thousands of women's lives." | "In reality it is alive and well, and having a huge impact on tens of thousands of women's lives." |
| Have you, or has someone you know, been affected by sexual harassment at work? Was it reported? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk | Have you, or has someone you know, been affected by sexual harassment at work? Was it reported? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |