New research released by Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) has found that sexual harassment faced by LGBTQ young people in the workplace is widespread and targeted. The national study, undertaken with over 1000 young people aged 14 to 30 years shows that 77% of LGBTQ young people have faced workplace sexual harassment, including inappropriate comments, intrusive questions and jokes about their identities. These incidents are often linked to their gender, age and sexual orientation, with perpetrators exploiting harmful stereotypes and displaying anti-LGBTQ prejudice. The harassment is part of a broader pattern of violence fuelled by homophobia, biphobia and transphobia.

30% of respondents to the study reported that perpetrators threatened them with sexual violence as a means of “fixing” their gender or sexual orientation, a common experience for young women and those presumed female at birth. Most perpetrators were men who were older than the people they harassed and typically acted alone. The study also found that 46% of perpetrators were coworkers, while 31% were clients or customers of the workplace.

Dr Tessa Boyd-Caine, ANROWS CEO, said the research findings are a wake-up call to overhaul workplace culture and policies immediately. “Every inappropriate joke, every intrusive question, every exploitative act pushes LGBTQ young people further from feeling and being safe at work. This must stop. A workplace free from sexual harassment is a responsibility we owe every LGBTQ young person,” Boyd-Caine said.

Distinguished Professor Kerry Robinson, lead researcher from Western Sydney University, said sexual harassment is not an isolated incident for LGBTQ young people — it is part of a larger pattern of harm rooted in homophobia, biphobia and transphobia. “This research shows how deeply workplace harassment impacts LGBTQ young people— it’s not just about inappropriate behaviour, it’s about a culture that devalues their identity. The majority of respondents chose not to formally report incidents, citing distrust in workplace systems, and instead often left their jobs to escape harassment,” Robinson said.

The research revealed that LGBTQ young people often reported receiving minimal or no training on workplace sexual harassment; those who had received workplace sexual harassment training said it was an unhelpful, tick-the-box exercise. The report urges workplaces to implement comprehensive, inclusive training and create policies that foster respectful and safe environments.

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