This report, published 2 years on from the #MeToo movement and found that 1 in 4 young women say they would be reluctant to report sexual harassment at work for fear of losing their job.
TUC research shows that 63% of young women have been sexually harassed at work. In this report, we reveal that just 6% of young women who experienced this say they have reported it.
When asked what would put them off reporting, a quarter say they fear losing their job, 1 in 5 say they feared being given fewer hours at work and 1 in 3 say they do not know how to report sexual harassment.
Fears are even higher among young women of colour and young women with a disability or long-term health condition, with 30% and 37% respectively saying they would fear losing their job if they reported sexual harassment.
- 16% of young women say they “know of cases of sexual harassment at work that have been reported and not dealt with properly”.
- 5%, or 1 in 20, young women say they have had to change job due to sexual harassment, assault or abuse.
- 8% of young women say they have been treated less well at work because they rejected sexual advances.
Young women are critical of employers’ efforts to tackle sexual harassment. 1 in 10 say they feel “let down by their employer’s efforts to tackle sexual harassment at work”. 1 in 3 say that “there has been talk but no action to tackle sexual harassment since the #MeToo movement started”.
If you have been affected by sexual harassment at work, there are organisations that offer support and advice.
