MP backs new law to tackle ‘plague’ of work harassment

A potential new law, the brainchild of a local MP, could spur a new culture in British workplaces.

The workplace sexual harassment bill, which aims to make employers responsible for creating safe workplaces, is a private member’s bill supported by Wera Hobhouse, MP for Bath.

The bill has preventative measures to stop sexual harassment from happening and it passed through its Committee Stage on November 23.

Mrs Hobhouse said this bill will “help to prevent harassment, protect victims and change the culture around victim blaming”.

According to the MP, sexual harassment at work and its prevalence is an open secret.

The Government’s Sexual Harassment Survey (2020) showed that 29 per cent of the workforce had been sexually harassed in the last 12 months. That is 10.6 million people.

There are many reasons as to why and one of those put forward is the lack of employer responsibility to ensure that the workplace is safe from these practices.

This puts the burden on reporting incidents onto the victims with more than a quarter of victims reporting that their perpetrator had a more senior role.

Often victims have little sway in the workforce, making the prospect of reporting the behaviour even more daunting. Interns and those on work experience make up 2 per cent of those in employment yet 56 per cent of them experience sexual harassment.

The outcomes when someone actually reports sexual harassment also give little hope to victims.

Of those harassed, 41 per cent said there were no consequences for their perpetrators and for the victims themselves, over two-thirds of those who reported the harassment faced work-related consequences.

The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Bill would make employers liable for their employees experiencing harassment committed by a third party unless they have taken reasonable steps to prevent it.

It would also ensure there is a preventative duty for employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment in their organisation.

Wera Hobhouse, MP for Bath, said: “Workplace sexual harassment plagues UK society.

“It remains widespread and vastly underreported. Too many people have been left to suffer for too long.

“This bill will help to prevent harassment, protect victims and change the culture around victim blaming.

“Obviously, the bill is not enough on its own to tackle workplace sexual harassment.

“However, it is a step in the right direction in protecting employees from sexual harassment in the workplace.

“I hope this can be a springboard to widespread societal change in our attitudes to how we view workplaces.

“No longer should they be seen as environments where these behaviours are acceptable and only by taking brave and often unsuccessful steps can you highlight abuses.

“Instead, employees should feel safe and by legally enforcing this upon employers hopefully it will permeate into wider society as well.”

If the bill goes forward, it is expected to achieve its committee stage on February 3 next year.