Fight for safety and respect at work
Everyone deserves to feel safe and respected at work.
But right now 39% of women are affected by sexual harassment when they’re just trying to do their job.
The Australian Human Rights Commission has just launched the results of its national inquiry into workplace sexual harassment, and made 55 recommendations for changes, including to the legal and regulatory system "no longer fit for purpose".
Now we need to make sure those recommendations are actioned.
Get involved in the campaign for change. Starting by adding your support to the petition, and urging your friends to do the same.
More information (click to view)
You can read the Australian Human Rights Commission's Respect@Work report here.
Ahead of the report, the Power to Prevent alliance of more than 100 organisations have backed five reforms that governments need to implement.
Health professionals, lawyers, community groups, unions and peak bodies, have come together behind the Power to Prevent statement, calling on government to make these five changes to improve prevention and responses to workplace sexual harassment:
- Dedicated prevention efforts to address the underlying gendered drivers of sexual harassment, which should be part of a holistic strategy to prevent violence against women and promote gender equality in line with Change the story: A shared framework for the primary prevention of violence against women and their children in Australia.
- Stronger and clearer legal duties on employers to take proactive steps to prevent sexual harassment at work, and strong and effective regulators that have the full suite of regulatory tools and resources necessary to effectively tackle sexual harassment, including as a cultural, a systemic and a health and safety issue.
- Access to fair, effective and efficient complaints processes, including a new right of action under the Fair Work Act, extended time limits, increased transparency of conciliation outcomes where appropriate, and other amendments and resources necessary to address the unique barriers that currently prevent workers who experience sexual harassment from taking effective legal action.
- Appropriate advocacy and support for workers who experience sexual harassment, including access to information, counselling and legal services that are appropriately resourced and coordinated.
- Accessible reporting tools, including piloting an online reporting tool that assists people to report and address problem behaviours and seek support, and identifies trends to assist with prevention and enforcement efforts.
You can read the Power to Prevent joint statement and see the full list of signatories here.