West News Wire: Two out of every three young women have faced sexual harassment, bullying or verbal abuse in the workplace in Britain, according to a survey published Friday.
According to UK umbrella labour organisation the Trades Union Congress (TUC), the majority of victims do not disclose events because of concern that they would not be believed or that it will ruin their professional connections and career aspirations.
They made the findings public as part of a campaign to encourage the British government not to reverse course on new regulations meant to safeguard employees from harassment and violence.
In a survey of 1,000 women, the TUC found that three out of five women reported such incidents at work; however, among women between the ages of 25 and 34, the percentage rose to two-thirds.
Most cases occurred on work premises but also happened via phone, text messages and emails, and via social media or virtual meetings.
And rather than being isolated incidents they were often repeated, the survey found.
The TUC says the new law protecting workers is being sabotaged by some lawmakers from the governing Conservative party.
Paul Nowak, general secretary of the TUC, stated that “every woman should be free from sexual harassment, but every day we hear stories about the extent of sexual harassment in our workplaces.”
“We are aware that many women who work in positions where they interact with the public, such as retail employees and GP receptionists, frequently endure abuse from clients and patients.
Bullying and sexual harassment have no place in contemporary workplaces.
The poll indicated that fewer than one in three women who experienced sexual harassment had told their employer.
