Australia starts probing sex harassment in workplace

Australia launched an independent inquiry on Wednesday into workplace sexual harassment, one of the first of its kind in the world, hoping to find solutions to problems brought to light by the global #MeToo movement.

The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) said the inquiry was prompted by the social media movement known through the Twitter hashtag #MeToo, which has highlighted sexual misconduct in different fields.

The planned 12-month investigation by the commission, to be partly funded by the government, will seek personal submissions from the public and consider the legal framework for dealing with the issue before making final recommendations.

“We are not aware across the globe of any place where the independent national human rights institution is taking a national approach to look at problems and solutions to sexual harassment,” said Kate Jenkins, AHRC Sex Discrimination Commissioner.

“In Australia, there is no question that there has been a real turning of the tide in the focus on sexual harassment in the last six or eight months, and so there’s been a real call and an appetite for learning about solutions.”

The inquiry will focus on the financial consequences for women who are sexually harassed or assaulted in the workplace, something Federal Minister for Women Kelly O’Dwyer said could be disastrous for individuals.