Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud says more men are now coming forward to speak about harassment in the workplace.
This development, she believes, reflects growing confidence in systems designed to address such complaints.
Speaking at a recent event, Dr Persaud said extensive training has been conducted to prevent sexual exploitation and harassment in the workplace, while noting that harassment remains an issue affecting workers.
“Because it happens and I can tell you when I go to various places of work people will come quietly and tell me and what I am seeing now more men are coming forward to speak of harassment,” she said.
Harassment is unwelcomed conduct that demeans, humiliates, or offends a person, while workplace harassment specifically applies that unwanted behavior to a professional setting.
The US Department Labour describe harassment as a form of employment discrimination. It says offensive conduct may include, but is not limited to, offensive jokes, slurs, name calling, physical assaults or threats, intimidation and mockery.
Dr Persaud said the willingness of more men to speak about their experiences is encouraging because it suggests workers are becoming more confident that their concerns will be heard and addressed.
Her comments come against the backdrop of international data showing that workplace violence and harassment affects both men and women.
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), globally, 17.9 per cent of employed men and women reported experiencing psychological violence and harassment during their working lives, while 8.5 per cent experienced physical violence and harassment, with more men than women reporting the latter.
The ILO also reported that 6.3 per cent of respondents had experienced sexual violence and harassment, with women particularly exposed.
Dr Persaud said one of the major challenges is ensuring that workers feel safe enough to make complaints without fearing repercussions.
She identified concerns over further victimisation, confidentiality, career advancement and how complainants may be viewed by colleagues as among the questions that must be addressed.
“The fear is always ‘Will I be further victimised?’ And bigger fear, ‘Would my issue be kept confidential? Will it impact on my upward mobility, will it impact about how i am perceived by the rest of my team members and will it impact on me as a person in a professional environment?’
“These are the type of hard questions that we have to answer today,” Dr Persaud said.
According to Dr Persaud, addressing those concerns requires the development of workplace systems that are gender-neutral, equitable and supportive of empowerment.
She acknowledged that changing workplace systems and culture will not happen overnight, describing the process as one involving several changes taking place at the same time.
“It is not pretty, easy and anything that we can say will happen immediately. It is reimaging and replacing and reinforcing all happening simultaneously,” Dr Persaud said.
Source: NEW ROOMS SITE
