What drives sexual

harassment
in the workplace?
This resource provides information on the drivers of sexual
harassment in workplace settings and additional workplace risk
factors.

What drives sexual harassment?

Violence against women, including sexual harassment, is preventable.
Research shows that sexual harassment in workplaces is driven by
gender inequality.
Stopping sexual harassment is not just about addressing the
behaviour of individuals but about changing the culture and
environment of the workplaces in which it occurs.
By understanding what drives sexual harassment and taking action to
change the conditions that allow it to occur, you and your workplace
can help create an Australia free from violence.
Our Watch’s Change the Story is an evidence-based framework for a
coordinated and effective national approach to preventing violence
against women, including sexual harassment. Change the Story has
been recognised in many international contexts as a world-leading
contribution to the prevention of violence against women and has
inspired work towards similar approaches in other countries.
According to Change the Story, there are four drivers of sexual
harassment:
 Driver 1: In workplaces, excusing or minimising violence against
women and sexual harassment (e.g. dismissing women’s
experiences of sexual harassment, or sexually suggestive
comments, or jokes that intimidate or offend), or trying to justify
why the violence occurred.
 Driver 2: Gender inequality in workplaces resulting in men
dominating decision-making (e.g. gender pay gaps, lack of women
in leadership, lack of respect for women, including women from
marginalised groups).
 Driver 3: Rigid gender stereotyping which limits the ways people
can express themselves (e.g. making assumptions that certain
types of work are better suited for women or men).
 Driver 4: Male peer relations at work that disrespect women and
each other (e.g. ‘locker-room talk’, unwanted touching, or sexual
gestures, readily excusing a peer’s disrespectful behaviour,
discouraged from taking a stand because they fear rejection by
their peers).

There are additional risk factors that increase the likelihood of

sexual harassment, including:

 Lack of diversity in workplaces can perpetuate toxic work

environments. Alongside gender inequality, other forms of
inequality and disadvantage also create power imbalances in the
workplace. Power disparities also stem from various factors,
including race, disability, age, visa status, economic vulnerability,
geographic location and career stage. When there is less diversity
in the workplace, people identifying with the dominant group hold
more power – promoting groupthink and in-group bias. Dominant
groups tend to apply stereotypes more readily, feel prejudice
toward, and discriminate against those they see as different. One of
the significant issues with the lack of diversity in the workplace is
when sexual harassment occurs, the person experiencing the
harassment might feel isolated, leading to an unwillingness to
report issues. Safe-to-speak cultures are essential for reporting.
Lack of reporting can create a hostile workplace as employees may
assume that their workplace accepts discriminatory practices.
 Workplaces organised according to a hierarchical structure.
 A workplace culture that supports or tolerates sexual harassment,
including where other forms of harassment are accepted. This can
include microaggressions, bullying, small acts of disrespect and
discrimination and reports of sexual harassment or inappropriate
behaviours not being taken seriously.
 The use of alcohol in a work context and attendance at conferences
and social events as part of work duties, including overnight travel.
 Workers who are isolated, in restrictive spaces like cars, working at
residential premises, living in employer-provided accommodation,
working from remote locations with limited supervision, or have
restricted access to help and support.
 Working from home, which may provide an opportunity for sexual
harassment to occur online or through phone communication.
 Worker interactions with clients, customers or members of the
public (either face-to-face or online), which may give rise to third-
party sexual harassment.
 Poor understanding among workplace leaders of the nature, drivers
and impacts of sexual harassment.
What drives sexual harassment in the workplace?

What can workplaces do

to prevent sexualharassment?
With the introduction of the Respect@Work amendments (including
the positive duty to take ‘reasonable and proportionate’ measures to
eliminate sexual harassment and sex discrimination in the workplace),
sexual harassment is now recognised as a risk and psychological
hazard under workplace health and safety law. As an Australian
workplace, you must demonstrate that your workplace has taken all
reasonable and proportionate actions to mitigate the risk of sexual
harassment. Failing to do so may make you liable for complaints and
action through the Australian Human Rights Commission.

Actions you can take to prevent

sexual harassment in your workplace

Action 1: Challenge sexism in the workplace

Example: Support your staff to be active bystanders who challenge
attitudes and practices that justify or downplay inappropriate
workplace behaviours.

Action 2: Promote inclusive gender equality, safety and

respect
Example: Increase the representation of women (with diverse
backgrounds and life experiences) in formal and informal decision-
making roles.

Action 3: Challenge gender stereotyping

Example: Promote and support gender-equitable domestic and
parenting practices through workplace initiatives.

Action 4: Support and engage men to promote positive

masculinities and supportive male peer relationships in
workplaces
Example: Set up male allyship initiatives that promote representations
of men modelling respectful, fair, ethical, safe and inclusive
behaviours in the workplace.

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What drives sexual harassment in the workplace?

Further information and support

For more information, tools and resources on how to prevent
sexual harassment in your workplace, visit Our Watch – Workplace
Equality and Respect <workplace.ourwatch.org.au>

For more information and frameworks on addressing sexual

harassment as a workplace risk effectively, visit Our Watch –
Practice guidance: Reducing risk in workplace initiatives to prevent
violence against women
<workplace.ourwatch.org.au/resource/practice-guidance-reducing-
risk-in-workplace-initiatives-to-prevent-violence-against-women>

For support, contact Our Watch’s Workplace Team at

[email protected]

Acknowledgements
Our Watch acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land across
Australia on which we work and live. We pay our respects to Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander peoples past and present, and we value
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, and
knowledge.

Our Watch acknowledges the support of the Victorian Government

and the Australian Government.

© Our Watch 2024

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