Study finds half of working women experience sexual harassment

In December, Insights West, an independent marketing research company, released their findings from an online survey about workplace sexual harassment.

The survey was conducted from Nov. 22 to 29 among 451 working women in Canada.

According to the study, five per cent of women experience a “significant” amount, 12 per cent a “moderate” amount and 33 per cent a “small” amount, while more than half (about 54 per cent) say they have experienced conduct, comments, gestures or contact of a sexual nature that caused offence or humiliation.

Three in 10 experience conduct, comments, gestures or contact of a sexual nature, which was perceived as a condition of their employment or any future opportunities to forward training or promotion.

Additionally, 28 per cent of women in Canada who endured behaviour that placed a condition on their employment, reported it to a superior or HR department, and 22 per cent filed a complaint after an offence or humiliation brought on by someone’s behaviour.

Reasons for not reporting include not a big enough deal (41 per cent), thought they would be seen as troublemakers (34 per cent), nothing would be done (30 per cent), dismissed as unimportant (30 per cent), embarrassment (30 per cent), and fear of retaliation (27 per cent). Additional incidents reported by working women include: –Unwanted sexual comments, conversation or innuendo: 37 per cent co-workers, 24 per cent superiors –Unwanted physical touching, cornering or patter: 33 per cent co-workers, 20 per cent superiors

–Cat calls, whistles or derogatory or demeaning sexual terms: 28 per cent co-workers, 19 per cent superiors –Unwanted pressure for dates: 23 per cent co-workers, 14 per cent superiors –Presence of pornography or other sexually graphic images at work: 18 per cent –Unwanted pressure for sexual activity: 17 per cent coworkers, 14 per cent superiors.