Sexual harassment can be perceived as a person-on-person act, however, new research has revealed that a significant number of Australians are also experiencing and perpetrating workplace harassment through technology, The Conversation reports.
The research from ANROWS shows that one in seven Australian adults surveyed had engaged in workplace tech-based sexual harassment. One in eight reported having engaged in both tech-based and in-person sexual harassment at work.
This is reportedly the first national study to investigate the perpetration of workplace tech-based sexual harassment. It uncovered hostile motivations underlying such behaviour, including a desire to frighten and humiliate victims.
ANROWS conducted a national perpetration survey with 3,345 Australian adults (18-65 years) who had participated in paid or voluntary work in the last 15 years. In addition, 20 industry stakeholders, including employer representatives, technology providers, regulators and workplace and online safety experts were interviewed and focus groups with 28 young adults (18-39 years) were run.
In its findings, the most common types of tech-based sexual harassment at work reported were:
- sending someone sexually suggestive or explicit comments via technologies (such as emails, SMS messages or social media)
- repeatedly inviting someone out on dates via technology
- making sexually explicit phone calls.
To engage in these behaviours, perpetrators used their work email (31 per cent), personal phone or mobile (29 per cent), personal email (26 per cent) and work phone or mobile (25 per cent). The majority of perpetrators reportedly described their behaviour as a “one-off” incident (60 per cent). But one in three admitted that they had engaged in tech-based sexual harassment towards a colleague on more than one occasion.
The findings mirror other research on workplace harassment. According to 2022 figures from the Australian Human Rights Commission, one in three Australians had experienced workplace sexual harassment over the prior five years. The same study found women (41 per cent) were more likely to report experiencing workplace sexual harassment than men (26 per cent).
Until now our understanding of workplace sexual harassment has centred primarily around in-person or face-to-face forms of unwelcome and/or threatening sexual conduct. However, as the reliance on technology in workplaces has grown tech-based forms of workplace sexual harassment have grown right alongside it. That is,
Tech-based workplace sexual harassment refers to sexual harassment perpetrated using mobile, online and other digital technologies in a workplace context.
This type of harassment can include a broad range of behaviours in and outside the physical working location. It can take place during or after working hours.
Tech-based workplace sexual harassment can reportedly include:
- unwelcome sexual advances, comments and jokes
- sexual requests
- relational pursuit (including monitoring or stalking behaviours)
- sexually explicit and abusive communications
- threats of physical violence such as rape
- the non-consensual taking, sharing or threat to share nude or sexual images (also known as image-based abuse).
Harassment can be instigated by co-workers, contractors, suppliers, customers, clients, and community members. It can include inappropriate behaviours such as sharing sexually suggestive or explicit comments or images about a public or high-profile figure, such as a journalist or politician, due to their work.
Gender
Clear gendered patterns reportedly emerged from the study, including the fact that men (24 per cent) were significantly more likely than women (7 per cent) to report engaging in tech-based sexual harassment at work. Men (10 per cent) were more likely than women (3 per cent) to report engaging in both tech-based and in-person workplace sexual harassment.
This behaviour most commonly occurred when the gender composition of the workplace was male-dominated (45 per cent) or had roughly equal numbers of men and women (38 per cent), as opposed to when the workplace composition was female-dominated (16 per cent).
Gendered differences in perceptions of how such behaviour would be seen and experienced by the victim were also observed by the study, The Conversation said. Men were significantly more likely than women to minimise a victim’s perceptions of the act, for example, by thinking the victim would be flattered or ‘okay’ with it. Additionally, men were more likely to harbour negative feelings towards the victim, such as wanting to humiliate or frighten them.
One of the key findings to emerge from the study was the high rates of hostile motivations underpinning the behaviour. More than one in four of those who had engaged in tech-based sexual harassment at work said they did so to: “frighten” (30 per cent), “humiliate” (30 per cent), “express their anger towards” (30 per cent), “hurt the feelings of” (30 per cent) or “annoy” (31 per cent) the victim.
The high level of hostile motivations challenges some of the common myths around sexually harassing behaviour. For example, it is often thought that someone engages in sexual harassment because they want to have a sexual or personal relationship with the person. Instead, our findings highlight how these behaviours form part of a pattern of sexual violence designed to humiliate, degrade and cause harm to the victim.
Taking action
The Conversation says that employers, technology providers and government policy and legislation must take a combination of actions to address tech-based sexual harassment at work. These actions include:
- clarity in workplace policies
- greater awareness of the changing nature of workplace sexual harassment (including the use of technologies)
- improved reporting options for victims and bystanders in the workplace
- proportional and consistent responses to those who use tech-based sexual harassment at work
- proactive steps to improve workplace cultures that promote equality and respect.
New laws introduced in 2022 reportedly require employers to take proactive steps to eliminate sexual harassment and the Australian Human Rights Commission has new powers to investigate and enforce compliance.
Such changes have the potential to prompt new actions and stronger responses to address and prevent tech-based sexual harassment in the workplace.
Source: The Conversation
(Links and quotes via original reporting)
Sexual harassment can be perceived as a person-on-person act, however, new research has revealed that a significant number of Australians are also experiencing and perpetrating workplace harassment through technology, The Conversation reports.
The research from ANROWS shows that one in seven Australian adults surveyed had engaged in workplace tech-based sexual harassment. One in eight reported having engaged in both tech-based and in-person sexual harassment at work.
This is reportedly the first national study to investigate the perpetration of workplace tech-based sexual harassment. It uncovered hostile motivations underlying such behaviour, including a desire to frighten and humiliate victims.
ANROWS conducted a national perpetration survey with 3,345 Australian adults (18-65 years) who had participated in paid or voluntary work in the last 15 years. In addition, 20 industry stakeholders, including employer representatives, technology providers, regulators and workplace and online safety experts were interviewed and focus groups with 28 young adults (18-39 years) were run.
In its findings, the most common types of tech-based sexual harassment at work reported were:
- sending someone sexually suggestive or explicit comments via technologies (such as emails, SMS messages or social media)
- repeatedly inviting someone out on dates via technology
- making sexually explicit phone calls.
To engage in these behaviours, perpetrators used their work email (31 per cent), personal phone or mobile (29 per cent), personal email (26 per cent) and work phone or mobile (25 per cent). The majority of perpetrators reportedly described their behaviour as a “one-off” incident (60 per cent). But one in three admitted that they had engaged in tech-based sexual harassment towards a colleague on more than one occasion.
The findings mirror other research on workplace harassment. According to 2022 figures from the Australian Human Rights Commission, one in three Australians had experienced workplace sexual harassment over the prior five years. The same study found women (41 per cent) were more likely to report experiencing workplace sexual harassment than men (26 per cent).
Until now our understanding of workplace sexual harassment has centred primarily around in-person or face-to-face forms of unwelcome and/or threatening sexual conduct. However, as the reliance on technology in workplaces has grown tech-based forms of workplace sexual harassment have grown right alongside it. That is,
Tech-based workplace sexual harassment refers to sexual harassment perpetrated using mobile, online and other digital technologies in a workplace context.
This type of harassment can include a broad range of behaviours in and outside the physical working location. It can take place during or after working hours.
Tech-based workplace sexual harassment can reportedly include:
- unwelcome sexual advances, comments and jokes
- sexual requests
- relational pursuit (including monitoring or stalking behaviours)
- sexually explicit and abusive communications
- threats of physical violence such as rape
- the non-consensual taking, sharing or threat to share nude or sexual images (also known as image-based abuse).
Harassment can be instigated by co-workers, contractors, suppliers, customers, clients, and community members. It can include inappropriate behaviours such as sharing sexually suggestive or explicit comments or images about a public or high-profile figure, such as a journalist or politician, due to their work.
Gender
Clear gendered patterns reportedly emerged from the study, including the fact that men (24 per cent) were significantly more likely than women (7 per cent) to report engaging in tech-based sexual harassment at work. Men (10 per cent) were more likely than women (3 per cent) to report engaging in both tech-based and in-person workplace sexual harassment.
This behaviour most commonly occurred when the gender composition of the workplace was male-dominated (45 per cent) or had roughly equal numbers of men and women (38 per cent), as opposed to when the workplace composition was female-dominated (16 per cent).
Gendered differences in perceptions of how such behaviour would be seen and experienced by the victim were also observed by the study, The Conversation said. Men were significantly more likely than women to minimise a victim’s perceptions of the act, for example, by thinking the victim would be flattered or ‘okay’ with it. Additionally, men were more likely to harbour negative feelings towards the victim, such as wanting to humiliate or frighten them.
One of the key findings to emerge from the study was the high rates of hostile motivations underpinning the behaviour. More than one in four of those who had engaged in tech-based sexual harassment at work said they did so to: “frighten” (30 per cent), “humiliate” (30 per cent), “express their anger towards” (30 per cent), “hurt the feelings of” (30 per cent) or “annoy” (31 per cent) the victim.
The high level of hostile motivations challenges some of the common myths around sexually harassing behaviour. For example, it is often thought that someone engages in sexual harassment because they want to have a sexual or personal relationship with the person. Instead, our findings highlight how these behaviours form part of a pattern of sexual violence designed to humiliate, degrade and cause harm to the victim.
Taking action
The Conversation says that employers, technology providers and government policy and legislation must take a combination of actions to address tech-based sexual harassment at work. These actions include:
- clarity in workplace policies
- greater awareness of the changing nature of workplace sexual harassment (including the use of technologies)
- improved reporting options for victims and bystanders in the workplace
- proportional and consistent responses to those who use tech-based sexual harassment at work
- proactive steps to improve workplace cultures that promote equality and respect.
New laws introduced in 2022 reportedly require employers to take proactive steps to eliminate sexual harassment and the Australian Human Rights Commission has new powers to investigate and enforce compliance.
Such changes have the potential to prompt new actions and stronger responses to address and prevent tech-based sexual harassment in the workplace.
Source: The Conversation
(Links and quotes via original reporting)