Activists call for safe workplaces amid sexual harassment survey

Activists are demanding equality, dignity, and safe office environments to combat sexual exploitation and harassment in the workplace, following a recent survey revealing that one-quarter of office workers have witnessed some form of sexual harassment at their jobs.

The ThaiHealth Promotion Foundation leader, Pongthep Wongwatcharapaiboon, alongside its associates, has taken a firm stance against any actions that lead to sexual harassment in office environments.

“It’s time to create a new norm free of sexual abuse in the country.”

In a collaboration between the foundation and NIDA Poll, a survey was conducted from May 9 to May 16, including over 2,000 workers aged over 20 years from state agencies, enterprises, and private companies revealing that 23.5% of respondents had observed acts of sexual harassment in their workplace, and 6.3% reported being sexually harassed themselves.

About half of these incidents involved verbal harassment, and 86.2% of respondents reported being subject to lustful glances. Nearly 3% said co-workers had tried to become sexually intimate against their wishes.

Regarding physical harassment, 70.8% of respondents experienced unwanted touching on the body, hands, shoulders, or back. Additionally, 66.7% felt sexually threatened when a co-worker came too close and touched a part of their body. Another 4.2% reported being forced to kiss someone at work, and 4.2% said they were coerced into having sex with a colleague or superior.

Among those who faced sexual harassment, 62.5% received sexually suggestive text messages, 25% received video clips of a sexual nature, and 12.5% received photos of private parts.

The poll identified colleagues as the primary offenders (81.75%), followed by superiors or bosses (16.7%), clients (8.7%), subordinates (5.6%), and business owners or executives (3.2%).

When asked about measures to mitigate the problem, 33.5% of respondents advocated for punishing wrongdoers, 30.4% wanted preventive measures implemented, and 25.8% sought a direct channel to file complaints to the company board.

In response to experiencing sexual abuse, 38.1% of respondents did nothing, 33.3% confronted the harasser directly, 3.2% sought assistance from nearby individuals, and fewer than 3% filed formal complaints with authorities.

Pongthep reinstates his stance to tackle this issue, explaining that sexual harassment or abuse can happen anywhere, and cooperation from all stakeholders to stand tall against the issue.

Ultimately, the goal remains to create a new norm for society that fosters respect and is free of sexual exploitation, reported Bangkok Post.