Work-related sexual harassment

This page provides guidance about preventing and responding to work-related sexual harassment.

What is work-related sexual harassment?

Sexual harassment is unwelcome behaviours of a sexual nature.

These behaviours make a person feel offended, humiliated, or intimidated.

Sexual harassment can be physical, verbal, or non-verbal. It can be a one-off event, repeated, or continuous.

Some examples of work-related sexual harassment include:

  • unwelcome touching or other physical contact
  • persistent, unwanted invitations to go out on dates
  • repeated or inappropriate advances
  • unnecessary familiarity, such as deliberately brushing up against a person
  • sending or showing someone sexually explicit pictures, posters or gifts
  • inappropriate staring or leering
  • suggestive comments or jokes
  • using suggestive or sexualised nicknames
  • sexually explicit or indecent emails, phone calls, text messages or online interactions
  • insults or taunts based on gender, or
  • threats or sharing intimate images or film without consent.

Overt forms of sexual harassment are easier to identify and are not tolerated in many workplaces.

However, other forms of sexual harassment, like sexist remarks, crude language and an overall workplace culture that is degrading or intimidating, can be harder to identify.

Work-related sexual harassment can happen in any circumstance or location including:

  • your usual workplace, such as the office
  • remote or isolated areas or workspaces or when working from home
  • working at different or changing locations, such as a client’s home, or across different worksites
  • at work-related activities such as conferences, training, work trips or corporate events
  • at work-related social activities like a Christmas party, and
  • by phone, email or online, including social media.

Work-related sexual harassment can happen because of a person’s occupation, and it can happen somewhere that is not a workplace, such as someone in uniform or who holds a certain position being harassed out of work hours.

Sexual harassment can lead to:

  • feelings of isolation, social isolation or family dislocation
  • loss of confidence and withdrawal
  • physical injuries because of assault
  • stress, depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • illness such as cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders, immune
  • deficiency and gastrointestinal disorders e.g., because of stress
  • negative impacts on a person’s job or career, and
  • suicidal thoughts

Sexual harassment can be perpetrated by different people including an employer, supervisor, co-worker, client, patient or customer.

If any person experiences or witnesses sexual assault, they should notify ACT Policing on 131 444, or 000 if it is an emergency.

As the person conducting the business or undertaking, from 9 June 2023, you must also report workplace sexual assault incidents to WorkSafe ACT .

For immediate emotional support, the following services may help:

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