What is work-related gendered violence?
This guidance may help employers identify types of work-related gendered violence including sexual harassment.
Background
Work-related gendered violence is any behaviour, directed at any person, or that affects a person, because of their sex, gender or sexual orientation, or because they do not adhere to socially prescribed gender roles, that creates a risk to health and safety.
This includes violence targeted directly at someone specifically because, for example:
- they are a woman
- they identify as LGBTIQA+
- they don't follow socially prescribed gender roles and stereotypes
Work-related gendered violence can also be experienced indirectly. A person may experience gendered violence not targeted specifically at them (such as overhearing a conversation that affects them) or witness violence directed at someone else. Sexual harassment is a common form of gendered violence.
LGBTIQA+: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer or asexual
Socially prescribed gender roles: society's traditional ideas about how men and women should look or act, what characteristics they should have, or their roles in the workplace, home or public life
Types of work-related gendered violence can range in severity from comments and gestures, through to sexual assault and rape. It can include:
- stalking, intimidation or threats
- verbal abuse
- ostracism or exclusion
- sexually explicit gestures
- offensive language and imagery
- put downs, innuendo, and insinuations
- being undermined in your role or position
- sexual harassment (see below)
- sexual assault or rape
What is sexual harassment?
As outlined in Section 92(1) of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (EO Act), a person sexually harasses another person if he or she:
(a) makes an unwelcome sexual advance, or an unwelcome request for sexual favours, to the other person,
or
(b) engages in any other unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature in relation to the other person
in circumstances in which a reasonable person, having regard to all the circumstances, would have anticipated that the other person would be offended, humiliated or intimidated.
Work-related sexual harassment
Work-related sexual harassment is sexual harassment (as described above) directed at a person, that can happen at work, work related events, or between people sharing the same workplace.
Work-related sexual harassment isn't always obvious, repeated or continuous. It can be a one-off incident and can involve unwanted or unwelcome:
- touching
- staring or leering
- suggestive comments or jokes
- sexually explicit pictures or posters
- repeated invitations to go out on dates
- requests for sex
- intrusive questions about a person's private life or body
- unnecessary contact, such as deliberately brushing up against a person
- insults or taunts based on sex or gender
- sexually explicit physical contact
- sexually explicit emails, text messages or social media activity
Sexual harassment is a common and known cause of physical and mental injury.
Work-related Gendered Violence campaign
Gendered violence is an OHS issue. It is unacceptable in any form.