Sexual Harassment
Unwanted sexual conduct, comments, or behaviour that creates a hostile work environment.
What is Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that violates your dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment. Under the Equality Act 2010, employers have a legal duty to protect employees from sexual harassment by colleagues, customers, or clients.
Sexual harassment includes unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, sexual comments or jokes, sharing sexual images, inappropriate touching, or sexual assault. It also covers harassment based on rejection of unwanted advances or complaints about harassment.
Many victims don't report harassment due to fear of disbelief, retaliation, or career damage. However, dismissing employees who report sexual harassment or creating hostile environments afterward is illegal and compensable.
Common Reasons
Employees who report sexual harassment often face swift retaliation through false disciplinary actions, sudden redundancy, or constructive dismissal through hostile treatment. We see cases where victims are labeled "troublemakers" or subjected to victim-blaming attitudes suggesting they "encouraged" the behavior.
Common scenarios include managers making continued employment conditional on sexual favors, persistent unwanted advances despite clear rejection, sharing explicit images or jokes in group chats, inappropriate comments about appearance or sexual activities, or physical touching without consent.
Particularly damaging are cases where employers fail to investigate complaints properly, dismiss concerns as "misunderstandings," or move victims rather than perpetrators. Some employers actively discourage complaints, fearing reputational damage or legal costs, prioritizing organizational image over employee welfare.
Your Rights and Typical Results
Sexual harassment compensation typically ranges £8,000-£25,000, with serious cases achieving higher awards for injury to feelings and any psychiatric harm caused. Employment tribunals treat sexual harassment claims with particular seriousness.
Sexual harassment is never acceptable. You deserve a safe, respectful workplace, and legal protection when employers fail you.
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Frequently asked questions
