New educational course launched to address work-related sexual harassment

The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) and the Australian Human Rights Commission are launching a new educational course to address work-related sexual harassment in the retail and hospitality sectors.

The course, Retail and Hospitality: Understanding and Eliminating Work-Related Sexual Harassment, explores the Sex Discrimination Act of 1984 and seeks to prevent inappropriate conduct before it happens.

"The course is designed to enhance your understanding of work-related sexual harassment, and the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers," the course's overview read.

The educational course comes after the report from Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety (ANROWS) unveiled that sexual harassment is "pervasive" in the retail sector.

The ANROWS report revealed that nearly half of female retail workers and a quarter of male retail workers have experienced sexual harassment in work-related scenarios.  

"Everyone deserves to feel safe at work, and the statistics we are seeing regarding sexual harassment in retail workplaces are unacceptable," said ARA CEO Paul Zahra in a statement.

"As the largest private sector employer in the country, retail has a vital role to play in setting an example and leading the agenda on action against sexual harassment – and this course, in collaboration with the Australian Human Rights Commission – will help retailers do just that."

Sex Discrimination Commissioner Anna Cody said they commend the ARA for taking an active approach in eliminating work-related sexual harassment in the retail and hospitality sectors.

"Our experience with retailers so far has been that they have a very strong appetite to further develop safe and respectful workplaces – but they simply need the resources to make it happen," Cody said in a statement.