By

Catherine Ngo

Content writer, presenter and podcaster

The study shows one in seven Australian adults surveyed reported having engaged in workplace tech-based sexual harassment. One in eight reported having engaged in both tech-based and in-person sexual harassment at work.

The research by ANROWS is the first national study to investigate the perpetration of workplace tech-based sexual harassment. It found hostile motivations underlying the behaviours, including wanting to frighten and humiliate victims.

Tech-based harassment is more common than we think

A national perpetration survey was conducted with 3345 Australian adults aged 18-65 who had been involved in paid or voluntary work within the past 15 years. The study incorporated interviews with 20 industry stakeholders: employer representatives, technology providers, regulators, and workplace and online safety experts. Focus groups were also conducted with 28 young adults aged 18-39.

The most common types of tech-based sexual harassment at work reported were:

  • sending someone sexually suggestive or explicit comments through technologies (such as emails, SMS messages or social media)
  • repeatedly inviting someone to go out on dates through technology
  • Making sexually explicit phone calls.

Perpetrators used their work email (31%), personal phone or mobile (29%), personal email (26%), and work phone or mobile (25%) when engaging in these behaviours. Most perpetrators said their behaviour was a “one-off” incident (60%). However, one in three acknowledged that they had engaged in tech-based sexual harassment towards a colleague on more than one occasion.

This research confirms that workplace harassment is still prevalent and aligns with figures from the Australian Human Rights Commission, which women (41%) are more likely to be affected than men (26%), with one in three Australians experiencing workplace sexual harassment in the past five years. 

Historically, workplace sexual harassment has focused primarily on in-person or face-to-face forms of unwelcome and threatening sexual conduct. However, the increasing reliance on technology in the workplace has given rise to a new form of harassment—tech-based workplace sexual harassment. This type of harassment involves using mobile, online, and other digital technologies in a workplace context.

What exactly is workplace tech-based sexual harassment?

Workplace tech-based sexual harassment can include a wide range of behaviours within and beyond the physical location of the workplace. It can take place during or after working hours. It can include:

  • unwelcome sexual advances, comments and jokes
  • sexual requests
  • relational pursuit (including monitoring or stalking behaviours)
  • sexually explicit and abusive communications
  • threats of physical violence
  • the non-consensual taking, sharing, or threat to share nude or sexual images (also known as image-based abuse).

Harassment can arise from interactions with co-workers, contractors, suppliers, customers, clients, and community members. Public or high-profile figures such as journalists and politicians may face harassment due to their work. For instance, sexually suggestive or explicit comments or images may be shared about them.

Does gender play a role?

Clear gendered patterns emerged in the study. These included that men (24%) were much more likely than women (7%) to report engaging in tech-based sexual harassment at work. Men (10%) were more likely than women (3%) to report engaging in both tech-based and in-person workplace sexual harassment.

Sexual harassment in the workplace is most common when men dominate the workforce (45%) or when the number of men and women is roughly equal (38%), as opposed to when women dominate the workforce (16%). Additionally, there are gender differences in how the victim perceives and experiences the behaviour, as well as in how it is viewed by others.

Overall, men were significantly more likely than women to minimise a victim’s perceptions of the act – for example, by thinking the person would be flattered or OK with it. Men were also more likely to hold negative feelings towards the victim, such as wanting to humiliate or frighten them.

Why do people sexually harass in the workplace?

One of the key findings to emerge from the study was the high rates of hostile motivations underpinning the behaviour. More than one in four of those who had engaged in tech-based sexual harassment at work said they did so to “frighten” (30%), “humiliate” (30%), “express their anger towards” (30%), “hurt the feelings of” (30%) or “annoy” (31%) the victim.

The high level of hostile motivations challenges some of the common myths regarding sexually harassing behaviour. For example, it’s often thought that someone engages in sexual harassment because they want to have a sexual or personal relationship with the person. Instead, the findings show these behaviours form part of a pattern of sexual violence designed to humiliate, degrade, and cause harm to the victim.

The report found similar patterns in the indicators of perpetuation. Those respondents with a high endorsement of sexist and gender-discriminatory attitudes were more than 15 times more likely to report perpetrating tech-based sexual harassment at work than those with low endorsement of these attitudes.

Similarly, respondents with a high endorsement of sexual harassment myths, such as believing “women enjoy being hit on at work” or that “stopping sexual harassment at work is as simple as telling your colleague you’re not interested”, were almost five times more likely to report engaging in tech-based sexual harassment at work than those with low endorsement of these myths.

This suggests that there are cultural and social norm challenges to be addressed by governments and workplaces in preventing sexual harassment of this kind.

Of further concern, less than half (39%) of those who disclosed engaging in tech-based sexual harassment at work said that a formal report or complaint had been made against them for their behaviour. This finding suggests a significant problem with workplace cultures and highlights potential gaps in appropriate internal and external responses.

What can HR do?

Employers, technology providers, and government policy and legislation must take a combination of actions to address tech-based sexual harassment at work. These include:

  • A review and update workplace policies and Code of Conduct
  • greater awareness and training of the changing nature of workplace sexual harassment, including the appropriate use of technologies
  • Improved reporting options for victims and bystanders in the workplace (for example, through safety incident reporting) and provided anonymous channels to report sexual harassment 
  • Proportional and consistent responses to those who use tech-based sexual harassment at work
  • Proactive steps to improve workplace cultures that promote equality and respect.

Employers must be proactive

New laws introduced in December 2022, known as Positive Duty, require employers to take proactive steps to eliminate sexual harassment. The Australian Human Rights Commission has the authority to investigate and enforce compliance.

These changes may provide the opportunity for new actions and responses to address and prevent tech-based sexual harassment in the workplace.

Catherine Ngo

Content writer, presenter and podcaster

Catherine is passionate about unravelling the latest news and insights to help HR managers, business owners, and employers.