Workplace sexual harassment: A national study to inform new prevention and early intervention strategies

Project lead: Dr Nicola Helps
Chief Investigator: Professor Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Dr Stefani Vasil, Professor Steven Roberts, Dr Rebecca Stewart, Dr Anna Genat

About the project

There is increasing recognition across Australia of the prevalence and impacts of workplace sexual harassment. Despite this recognition, there is widespread acknowledgement that responses remain inadequate. The Australian Human Rights Commission (2020, p. 34) highlights that approaches ‘have failed to prevent and reduce workplace sexual harassment’. Recognising the critical gap in current knowledge, this project used a large national survey to build new knowledge on the prevention of, and early interventions for, workplace sexual harassment.

This project has four key aims:

1. To examine opportunities to better identify, prevent and respond to workplace sexual harassment.
2. To build the evidence base on victim-survivors’ views on opportunities for early intervention and improved responses to workplace sexual harassment.
3. To examine the impact of workplace culture and the role of bystanders on early intervention and responses to workplace sexual harassment.
4. To generate new insights and workplace focused recommendations to support improved policy and practice.

This project will generate new knowledge to inform improved policy and practice responses to workplace sexual harassment. Project findings are relevant to all Australian state and territory jurisdictions.

Research design

The study utilised a large-scale national survey. The survey was conducted in late 2022 and distributed via social media and a range of Australian organisations. The survey was available in English, Arabic, Vietnamese, Punjabi, Nepali and simplified Chinese.

1,465 individuals responded to the survey, including 1,412 victim-survivors of workplace sexual harassment. The survey included a series of closed and open text questions. Participants provided insights into their experiences of workplace sexual harassment, including the nature and impact of the harassment experienced, the response received, as well as opportunities for improved prevention and early intervention.

For further details about the survey and the participant sample, please see our ‘Project Overview’ snapshot.

Project outputs

Funding acknowledgement

This project is part of the Safe and Equal @ Work program funded via the State Government’s Victorian Higher Education State Investment Fund (VHESIF).