A new campaign in Victoria is encouraging workers to call out workplace sexual harassment. 

WorkSafe Victoria has launched the Let's Be Very Clear campaign to raise awareness of what sexual harassment is, to educate employers encourage workers to demand change.

Sexual harassment is a common form of gendered violence and involves any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that can be reasonably expected to make a person feel offended, humiliated or intimidated.

One in three people have been sexually harassed at work in the past five years, the Australian Human Rights Commission’s last national survey on sexual harassment in the workplace found.

The overwhelming majority of sexual harassment inquiries and complaints received by the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) last year were work related.

There were 134 injury claims involving possible sexual harassment made to WorkSafe in the 2019/20 financial year, but the rate of sexual harassment is likely to be higher as much goes unreported.

“Employers are reminded that preventing and effectively dealing with sexual harassment in the workplace is their responsibility and that failing to protect workers is a crime,” WorkSafe said in a statement. 

WorkSafe Health and Safety Executive Director Julie Nielsen said the campaign is a much-needed wake-up call.

“Let's be very clear - a workplace where sexual harassment is tolerated is an unsafe workplace,” she said.

“Employers have a responsibility to provide a safe and healthy workplace and we all have a role to play in calling out this unacceptable behaviour when we see it.

“Everyone deserves to feel safe at work, which is why this campaign removes any confusion around what constitutes sexual harassment in the workplace.”

WorkSafe has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with VEOHRC to take a united approach to preventing workplace sexual harassment.

Under the agreement, WorkSafe and VEOHRC will share information, refer inquiries and complaints to each other where appropriate and collaborate on inspections, education and promotional activities.