Nearly 1 in 2 women have experienced workplace sexual harassment: StatsCan

Far too many Canadians have been victims of sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace, according to a recent report from Statistics Canada (StatsCan).

Nearly half (47%) of women and 31% of men report experiencing inappropriate sexualized behaviours in a workplace setting.

This is most common among workers aged 25 to 34, according to the report:

And many have had these experiences in just the past year. The percentage of respondents who experienced workplace sexual harassment or sexual assault in the past 12 months are:

In January, WomanACT and the Society for Canadian Women in Science & Technology (SCWIST) launched their Safe STEM Workplaces project to foster safe and harassment-free workplaces, particularly within the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and trade sectors.

Who is more likely to be sexually harassed in the workplace?

Some minority groups are more likely to experience sexual harassment in the workplace than their counterparts, according to StatsCan’s report based on table reports on the Gender Results Framework (GRF), and data collected through the 2020 Survey on Sexual Misconduct at Work.

This applies specifically to persons with disabilities and members of lesbian, gay or bisexual population:

Meanwhile, Canadian-born workers are far more likely to experience sexual harassment in the workplace.

Overall, 52% of Canadian-born women have ever been victims of this, with 31% having experienced it in the past months. In comparison, 34% of the immigrant population have fallen victim to workplace sexual harassment, with 19% experiencing it in the past year.

Among men, those who are Canadian born are also more likely to have this experience ever (36%) or in the past year (22%), compared with immigrants (20% and 10%, respectively).

Non-racialized women (52% ever, 30% in the past 12 months) and men (35% ever, 21% in the past 12 months) are also more likely than racialized counterparts (women: 35% ever, 23% in the past 12 months; men: 20% ever, 12% in the past 12 months) to have fallen victim to workplace sexual harassment.

Nearly half (48%) of non-Indigenous women have had this kind of experience ever, and 28% in the past year while the numbers for Indigenous women are lower (43% and 27%, respectively). Meanwhile, among non-Indigenous men, 35% have been victims of workplace sexual harassment ever and 18% in the past year. The comparative numbers for Indigenous men are 30% and 21%, respectively).

Since August 2023, any Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) member who has experienced sexual harassment, sexual misconduct or any other form of discrimination based on sex/gender while performing their duties have been allowed to file complaints through the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC).

How to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace

Here’s how to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace, according to Elizabeth Owens Bille, EVERFI senior vice president for workplace culture:

1. Make it crystal clear that sexual harassment prevention is a company priority.
2. Make sure that employees and management understand what sexual harassment is.
3. Keep sexual harassment prevention training positive.
4. While it is necessary to include legal compliance content where it is required by law, be sure to balance that with additional guidance and examples that reflect a higher standard: your company’s values, policies, and culture.
5. Enlist employees in ensuring a harassment-free workplace.
6. Enlist employees as social influencers.
7. Take swift and decisive actions as issues arise.