Sexual harassment in the workplace isn’t always as visible or blatant as people expect. Often, it hides behind so-called humour, casual comments, or behaviour that gets brushed aside as “just how it is.” But sexual harassment remains a serious issue that can harm confidence, wellbeing, careers, and lives.
What is sexual harassment?
The law is clear. Under the Equality Act 2010, sexual harassment is unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.
This can include:
- Unwelcome sexual advances
- Comments or jokes about appearance or sex life
- Suggestive looks, gestures or body language
- Inappropriate touching, groping or brushing past someone deliberately
- Sending sexual emails, texts, or images
- Repeatedly asking someone out after they’ve said no
- Spreading sexual rumours
Importantly, it’s unwanted. Even if someone didn’t intend to offend, if the behaviour has the effect of making someone feel uncomfortable or degraded, it can count as harassment.
Why is it still happening?
Sexual harassment persists because:
- Power dynamics are at play. It’s often about exerting control, not attraction.
- A culture of silence exists. People fear reporting harassment will damage their career or that they won’t be believed.
- It’s normalised. Behaviours that should be challenged are excused as “banter” or “just a laugh.”
We’ve seen cases where members felt unable to speak out until the behaviour escalated and severely impacted their wellbeing. As a union, we have a duty to change this, to create workplaces where dignity is the standard, not the exception, and where harassment is called out and stopped at the first sign.
