Last week the National Police Chiefs’ Council announced that violence against women and girls in England and Wales was at epidemic levels and described as a national emergency.
The Office for National Statistics defines violence against women and girls (VAWG) as:
‘Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is an umbrella term used to cover a wide range of abuse types that affect more women and girls than men and boys. These include domestic homicide, domestic abuse, sexual assault, abuse experienced as a child, female genital mutilation (FGM), forced marriage and harassment in work and public life.’
The National Policing Statement for VAWG which is commissioned by the National Police Chiefs’ Council and College of Policing reported that:
- Over one million VAWG related crimes recorded during 2022/23. This accounts for 20% of all police recorded crime.
- Police recorded VAWG related crime increased by 37% between 2018/23
- At least 1 in every 12 women will be a victim per year, with the exact number expected to be much higher
These figures do not take into consideration the number of incidents that go unreported. The National Centre for Domestic Violence reported that an estimated less than 24% of domestic abuse crimes are reported to the police.
Other forms of VAWG are also said to be underreported. A 2021 review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges by Ofsted found that sexual harassment and online sexual abuse is widespread and normalised, so often goes unreported.
The World Health Organisation estimates that about 1 in 3 (30%) of women worldwide have been subjected to either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner violence in their lifetime.
Given that the rise in VAWG often mirrors broader societal issues (e.g. we saw increases in domestic violence during the pandemic, or it is said that domestic violence against women increases when England loses a football match), how is this then reflected in the workplace?
While I could not find any research that shows a correlation between the VAWG epidemic and an increase in sexual harassment, harassment, or bullying toward women in the workplace, I do wonder whether there is. A 2023 poll by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) found that over half of women in the UK have experienced harassment at work.
Their poll revealed that 3 in 5 women (58%) had experienced sexual harassment, bullying, or verbal abuse at work. This increased to 2 in 3 women (62%) aged between 25 and 34. The poll also revealed that most victims do not report harassment for fear of not being believed or damaging their working relationships and career prospects.
Employers should exercise a duty of care for their well-being while they are at work
While employers cannot control what happens outside the workplace, they can exercise a duty of care to those who experience violence outside the workplace by ensuring their safety and well-being while they are at work.
Being subjected to violence and abuse outside the workplace can have an impact in the workplace. It can lead to absenteeism and negatively affect performance. Employers can provide awareness training so that employees recognise the signs that someone may be experiencing violence or abuse outside work.
Training will help them to deal with it sensitively and identify where to signpost for specialist support services. In the UK there are organisations that provide such training, as I am sure there are elsewhere.
Where harassment occurs within the workplace, employers need adequate policies in place that are strictly adhered to. They need to create psychologically safe environments where those subjected to harassment feel safe enough to speak up and report incidents. Creating a culture where any type of harassment or inappropriate behaviour is not tolerated sends out a strong message to perpetrators and would-be perpetrators.
If you experience sexual harassment, harassment, or bullying at work
If you are experiencing sexual harassment, harassment, or bullying at work, please do not suffer in silence. Keep a note of dates, times, what happened, etc, and speak to someone about it. You may want to secretly record incidents on your phone but be aware that there could be implications in doing this.
It may not be permissible as evidence if it breaks data protection laws, or your employer has a policy that prohibits recordings without permission. If the situation goes to an employment tribunal, there are some cases where a recording may be allowed as evidence, but it is likely to be decided on a case-by-case basis.
Report the harassment to your manager, HR, or trade union. If it escalates into violence, report it to the police. If you don’t feel safe reporting it at work, or that you will be taken seriously, speak to someone independent of the organisation. ACAS (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) offers advice to employees (and employers) on employment law, HR processes and good practice at work. If you are outside the UK, search for something similar within your country.
The Worker Protection Act comes into force in October
The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 20210) Act 2023 comes into force this October, requiring employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of employees.
It provides better protection to employees from workplace harassment and sexual harassment than the provisions in the Equality Act 2010 and employers need to familiarise themselves with their obligations under the Act. This includes providing necessary training and making sure the appropriate policies reflect the changes in legislation.
It is estimated that violence against women costs the UK economy £66billion per year arising from the cost to public services and the lost economic output of women that are affected. Not only is it a moral thing for employers to support women who experience violence against them, but it also makes good business sense.
What are your thoughts on this epidemic of violence against women and girls? Do you see this trend reflected in the workplace in terms of harassment and bullying against women?