Gender-based violence in the workplace

The phenomenon of gender-based violence takes place daily worldwide. "Gender-based violence" refers to violence directed against a person on the basis of their sex, gender, gender characteristics or sexual orientation and includes acts that cause emotional, physical, mental or sexual harm or suffering, threats of such actions, coercion and deprivation of the person's freedom. This is a phenomenon that in the vast majority affects women and LGBTQI+ people. One of the places where this phenomenon manifests itself with great frequency is the workplace.

The situation in Europe and Greece

In Europe, 60% of working women in various countries who took part in a survey1 reported that they had been victims of gender-based violence at least once in their workplace. In Greece, 6 out of 10 working women have suffered some form of harassment at work3. Common denominator here is the under-reporting and under-recording of incidents of gender-based violence in the workplace, due to different social, economic and cultural conditions. This burdens the mental and physical health of employees, with direct costs both in the respective work context and in the social context.

Addressing gender-based violence in the workplace

There are several ways in which organizations can address gender-based violence and its effects in the workplace, particularly by developing and implementing effective prevention strategies. Components of these strategies may include:

  • Requiring employees to undergo violence and harassment training.
  • Designating a reference person for issues of violence and harassment in the workplace, who will have sufficient information and awareness on the subject and whose contact details will be clear and accessible to working staff.
  • Developing informational material and resources on identification and confrontation of gender-based violence and promoting it regularly to all working staff. This should include supportive workplace policies and procedures, as well as relevant information on national hotlines, local resources and organizational points of contact.
  • Ensuring that workplace rules and practices are non-discriminatory and are applied by and for all employees, regardless of hierarchy and title.
  • It is important that the policy and regulations on gender-based violence in the workplace are regularly evaluated to ensure its effectiveness and periodically updated based on the latest information.

 

In conclusion, gender-based violence, both in the workplace and in other contexts, was and remains a major problem, costly on many levels. Since this is a phenomenon with many aspects that are sometimes difficult to distinguish and sometimes difficult to reveal, it is important that all  people who make up the various work environments  stay aware, informed and vigilant.

References

  1. The United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (1994). Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women Proclaimed by General Assembly resolution 48/104 of 20 December 1993
  2. Foundation for European Progressive Studies, Fondation Jean Jaurès and French Institute for Public Opinion (2019). European observatory on sexism and sexual harassment at work. Retrieved from: https://feps-europe.eu/wp-content/uploads/downloads/publications/survey%20sexism%20and%20sexual%20harassment%20at%20work%20feps%20fjj%202019_en%20.pdf
  3. Gender-Based Violence at Work: From Awareness to Coping. Information pamphlet. Retrieved from:https://www.supportartworkers.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/%CE%95%CE%BD%CE%B7%CE%BC%CE%B5%CF%81%CF%89%CF%84%CE%B9%CE%BA%CF%8C-%CE%A6%CF%85%CE%BB%CE%BB%CE%AC%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%BF..pdf.