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South Wales Argus
18-07-2025
- General
- South Wales Argus
Work Sexual harassment experienced by 46% of Welsh workers
A TUC Cymru survey of 2,000 employees revealed that 46 per cent had experienced harassment in the workplace, with eight per cent unsure how to report it. Kay Stevens, a TSSA union representative, said: "I had a colleague that just kept putting his arms around me and touching me. "I told him that it made me feel very uncomfortable, so he'd stop for a bit and then carry on doing it. "Now as a union rep, my experiences of workplace sexual harassment have made me even more passionate about ensuring that everyone is safe at work at all times." The highest rates were found in the architecture, engineering, and building sectors, where 66 per cent reported incidents. TUC Cymru has now launched the We'll Support You campaign to raise awareness of the support available to workers through trade unions.
BBC News
17-07-2025
- BBC News
Sexual harassment widespread at work
A woman who was sexually harassed as a teenager in her supermarket job said management dismissed it as "harmless" Stevens said a male colleague's unwanted touching made her feel "really uncomfortable" as "we weren't friends."A recent Censuswide survey found almost half of workers in Wales interviewed have experienced sexual harassment at a union representative for the independent trade union for transport and travel industries TSSA, Ms Stevens, stressed the need for better education to help people understand that even so-called "jokes" can cause harm. Commissioned by TUC Cymru, the body for trade unions in Wales, the survey gathered responses from 2,000 employees across the country. It found that 43% of men and 48% of women had experienced sexual harassment in the highest rate was recorded in the architecture, engineering, and construction industries, where 66% of respondents reported those who had experienced harassment, around half did not report in ten said this was because they did not trust their employer to believe them. Ms Stevens said the man would often put his arm around her "when there just wasn't any need to.""I asked him to stop, and he did for a while - but then he'd start again," she told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast."I kept asking, but he kept crossing the boundary."Although she reported his behaviour to management, she said they "just didn't particularly care", dismissing it as the man "just being friendly".Regardless of his intent, Ms Stevens said it made her feel uncomfortable and "really unsupported"."He crossed my boundaries, and I just felt really uncared for," she Stevens eventually changed departments to "just to get myself out of the situation at the time". "You're so young, you're naïve," she said."You feel embarrassed, you don't really want to stand up for yourself and call people out on it because you don't want to make a fuss." Under the Worker Protection Act, employers must discipline or hold accountable those who are found guilty of sexual law, which was introduced in October 2024, covers harassment on social media as well as that by customers, clients, service users, or members of the also includes conduct in any event or situation related to work such as a Christmas party, client event, or messaging between the survey respondents, one in 10 said their workplace either had no formal sexual harassment policy or they were not informed of a policy in place. Ms Stevens, who is trained in the issue, said her own experiences have made her "even more passionate about ensuring everyone is safe at work at all times".She explained that many people do not realise their behaviour is inappropriate, but once it's pointed out, most stop - but she said repeated behaviour should be addressed more Stevens emphasised the importance of education and urged anyone affected to speak to their union rep, saying: "We're here, we will listen, and we will act." To raise awareness around support available to workers from unions around sexual harassment in the workplace, TUC Cymru has launched a campaign, called We'll Support organisation has also published a handbook to give union reps the information and resources they need to prevent sexual harassment in the Taj from TUC Cymru said "everyone deserves to feel safe at work" and that workplace sexual harassment "has to stop".She said the new campaign will empower union reps to be a "visible ally" for workers, hold employers accountable under the new Worker Protection Act, and "ultimately help reduce harassment in workplaces in Wales". What is sexual harassment? According to Wesh Women's Aid, sexual harassment is any unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature that may cause offense, distress, will intimidate or humiliate a examples are: making sexually degrading comments or gesturesbeing stared or leered atunwanted or inappropriate sexual jokes or propositionse-mails, social media or text messages with sexual contentunwelcome sexual advances and touching, forms of sexual assaultdisplaying sexually explicit pictures in a shared space, such as at work
ITV News
16-07-2025
- ITV News
Almost half of Welsh workers have experienced sexual harassment, according to new survey
Nearly half of employees in Wales have experienced some form of sexual harassment in the workplace, according to a new survey. 46% of respondents to a Censuswide survey by TUC Cymru said they had been a victim of workplace sexual harassment, with 8% of employees saying they didn't know how to report incidents when they occur. A survey of 2000 employees across Wales found 43% of men and 48% of women reported experiencing sexual harassment at work; with highest prevalence in the architecture, engineering, and building industries (66%). Although around half of respondents did report their sexual harassment, a further 7% did not report incidents of harassments for fear of impacting their career, and 10% did not trust that they'd be believed by the employer. More than 1 in 10 respondents said their workplace either had no formal sexual harassment policy or they were not aware of a policy in place. From October 2024, the Worker Protection Act places further responsibilities on employers to discipline or hold accountable those who are found guilty of sexual harassment. The legislation includes harassment from customers, clients, service users, or members of the public, and would include conduct in any event or situation related to work such as a Christmas party, client event, or messaging between colleagues. Kay Stevens, TSSA union rep, spoke about her own experiences as both a victim and an advocate: 'I had a colleague that just kept putting his arms around me and touching me. I told him that it made me feel very uncomfortable, so he'd stop for a bit and then carry on doing it. 'I reported it to management, who told me he was just being friendly. I was so disappointed by their response – I'd asked him to stop, so why hadn't he? 'Now as a union rep, my experiences of workplace sexual harassment have made me even more passionate about ensuring that everyone is safe at work at all times. Everyone should feel safe in the workplace, and they deserve to have someone in their corner. Whether it's happening now or happened a long time ago, I'd urge people to speak to their union reps – we're here, we will listen, and we will act.' TUC Cymru has launched a campaign, called We'll Support You, to tackle sexual harassment in the workplace. Created to raise awareness around support available to workers from unions, the organisation has published a handbook to give union reps the information and resources they need to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. Shavanah Taj, TUC Cymru General Secretary said: 'Everyone deserves to feel safe at work. It's shocking that, in 2025, nearly half of all workers in Wales have experienced sexual harassment at work. This has to stop. And that's why we're launching our We'll Support You campaign. 'Trade unions and reps are ideally placed to tackle sexual harassment in the workplace. Our We'll Support you campaign will show all workers in Wales that, if they experience or witness sexual harassment, their trade union rep will be there, a visible ally by their side, every step of the way. 'This campaign will empower trade union reps to negotiate with their employer and make sure they're complying with the new Worker Protection Act. Ultimately, this capaign will reduce the amount of sexual harassment taking place in workplaces in Wales.'
