Stronger anti-harassment policies are needed to address harassment effectively at the workplace – Miriam Dalli

“We need to move beyond legislations and enforcement and implement effective policies and training at the workplace so that workers are sufficiently aware on how to address harassment cases,” Member of the European Parliament Miriam Dalli said when addressing a conference she organised together with the General Workers’ Union (GWU).

The aim of the conference was to bring together policymakers, experts and workers to discuss harassment at the place of work, and help the union draft a policy on combating and eliminating harassment. This policy would be then enforced via the collective agreements that the GWU negotiates with employers.

A study conducted by Maltese NGOs Men Against Violence and the Women’s Rights Foundation showed that 90 per cent of the respondents did not know how to address cases of sexual harassment which they themselves experienced, or witnessed. They also said more information was needed on how to deal with such cases.

Taking a cue from these statistics, Dalli said that both employers and employees should be trained on how to address such cases for policies against harassment at the place of work to be effective.

“Training, together with effective policies, cultivates a culture and a change in mentality that any type of harassment at the place of work, including cyber harassment, enced or witnessed sexual harassment at work, with the absolute majority being women. Dalli argued that men can also find themselves victims of harassment.

Harassment at the place of work can also be online. Dalli said that what constitutes cyber harassment must be established clearly. This may also include the use of emails and other communication platforms, both during and after work hours.

The Labour MEP insisted that such issues should not be taken lightly, especially since they could have lasting psychological effects on the victims that would negatively affect their personal life, their work and their overall wellbeing.

Dalli encouraged those present – especially shop stewards – to be the voice of harassment victims and to encourage them to come forward and report their case. “No one should suffer in silence,” she added.

Equality Minister Helena Dalli also attended the conference. The Minister referred to the strategy launched in 2017 and the draft bill on gender-based violence, which among others will offer protection to victims of harassment.

GWU secretary general Josef Bugeja said the Union was committed in its fight against harassment at the workplace. He explained that after adopting this policy through collective agreements, it will offer training to ensure an effective implementation.

is simply unacceptable,” she said. According to the NGOs’ study, 80 per cent of respondents said they have experi-