SEXUAL harassment in the workplace is “endemic” in Scotland, a new report has found.
The “Still Silent?” report – published by the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) women’s committee on Tuesday – found that there had been an increase in the amount of online sexual harassment experienced by women since the last review took place.
The previous report, published in 2022, showed more than 50% of women experienced harassment within the workplace in Scotland.
The new report welcomed the incoming Workers Protection Act, which introduces a new duty on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their workers.
It found that 75% of women experienced the same level of sexual harassment in the workplace since 2022, whilst 61% said sexual harassment has become more of an issue online.
The latest report comes as the STUC women’s conference is set to take place this week in Glasgow.
‘Sexual harassment doesn’t just confine itself to office hours’
Commenting, STUC general secretary Roz Foyer (below) said the new report “brings home the need for our employers to take urgent action to make workplaces safe for women”.
She continued: “From the office to online, harassment towards women is endemic and we must take a zero-tolerance approach and report, without fear or favour, the perpetrators of abuse.
“The new Worker Protection Act will, hopefully, go some way in holding employers to account for any harassment conducted within the workplace.
“But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Sexual harassment doesn’t just confine itself to office hours.
“We need governments to take seriously their duty to protect women from abuse and our STUC women’s conference will leave no stone unturned in calling out those who must do more to protect women from abuse both within and outwith the workplace.”
Meanwhile, STUC women’s committee chair Lorna Glen said the report should act as “a catalyst for change”.
“[Women’s] voices matter and they should no longer suffer in silence whilst sexual harassment shows no sign of abating within the workplace,” she told The National.
“From an increase in online abuse to women feeling there has been little change in emphasis from employers in stamping out abuse, we can ill afford to have our voices ignored by those in power.
“The new Workers Protection Act is a start, but we must redouble our efforts to make sure every women, from every corner of Scotland, feels safe and secure in their work, free from abuse and harassment that damages the lives of so many.”
The upcoming conference – set to take place on Wednesday and Thursday – has been welcomed by trade unions.
Retail trade union Usdaw urged the STUC to call on the Scottish Government, local authorities, public bodies and political parties to “take all steps to create an inclusive and supportive environment for all women” in the workplace.
Usdaw equalities officer Ruth Cross said: “Women remain under-represented in political spaces, in peace processes and in all of Scotland’s democratic bodies.
“There are multiple barriers to women accessing politics, particularly Black women, disabled women and LGBT+ women.”
She added that whilst women make up 52% of the Scottish population, they hold only 37% of seats in the Scottish Parliament, 24% of seats in local council chambers and only 36% of public board places.
Cross continued: “There are welcome examples of positive progress for women’s representation in Scotland in recent years, but we need to guard against regression and take bold action to make sure progress is sustained in the future.”
