A national study investigating workplace technology-facilitated sexual harassment (WTFSH) has found that one in seven Australian adults surveyed admit to engaging in this form of sexual harassment at work. WTFSH includes unwelcome or harassing sexual behaviour utilising mobile, online and digital technologies within a workplace setting. It also includes a range of behaviours and can occur during or after working hours.

ANROWS research, led by Associate Professor Asher Flynn from Monash University and Professor Anastasia Powell from RMIT University, underscored the role of gender in perpetration of WTFSH, with 24% of surveyed men admitting to using technology to engage in workplace sexual harassment, compared to 7% of women. Additionally, 45% of WTFSH perpetrators worked in male-dominated workplaces; the perpetrators of WTFSH minimised the severity of their actions, believing victim-survivors would be “okay with it” (52%), flattered (45%) or find it humorous (42%). Others said they wanted to pursue a sexual or personal relationship with the victim-survivor (41%).

The survey also revealed that one in four perpetrators reported malintent, aiming to annoy (31%), humiliate (30%), frighten (30%), hurt the feelings of (30%) or express their anger towards (31%) the victim-survivor. The people surveyed were over 15 times more likely to engage in WTFSH if strong sexist and discriminatory attitudes were held, making these attitudes the strongest predictor of such behaviour.

The most common devices and platforms for WTFSH included work emails (31%), personal phone or mobile (29%), personal email (27%) and work phone or mobile (25%). Despite the prevalence of WTFSH, only 39% of perpetrators had any formal reports or complaints made against them.

Dr Tessa Boyd-Caine, CEO of ANROWS, said new technologies in the workplace create new avenues for abuse, making the need to address this sexual harassment gap more urgent. Boyd-Caine urged employers to build safety into workplace cultures and technologies to protect workers. “Policymakers must prioritise implementing effective measures to prevent and address these behaviours,” Boyd-Caine said.

Asher Flynn said the survey findings highlight the pervasive nature of workplace technology-facilitated sexual harassment, revealing the troubling attitudes and motivations behind such behaviours. “It’s imperative that we address these issues comprehensively to foster safer and more respectful work environments for all,” Flynn said.

The report offers crucial insights to aid Australian employers and policymakers in combating technology-based sexual harassment in the workplace.

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