Call for bosses to have legal duty to prevent sexual harassment

Commenting on the government’s response to the Women and Equalities Select Committee report on sexual harassment, TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “More than half of women in the UK have been sexually harassed at work, yet only one in five reports it. Sexual harassment has a huge impact on women’s careers and lives. So it’s disappointing that the government is not making the major changes needed for the scale of the problem.

“The law should be changed so that employers are responsible for preventing sexual harassment in workplaces. This would shift the burden of tackling sexual harassment away from the victims. And it would help end toxic workplace cultures that silence those who’ve been harassed.

“Unions have been leading the way in tackling sexual harassment. Anyone experiencing sexual harassment at work should join a union to make sure they are protected and respected at work.”