Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: A Growing Concern

According to a recent survey, approximately 2 out of 10 office workers have experienced sexual harassment at work, with the most common perpetrators being non-executive superiors.

A survey of 1,000 office workers conducted by the civic group Workplace Bullying 119 found that 22.6% of respondents had experienced sexual harassment in the workplace since starting their career. Broken down by gender, 26.1% of women and 19.1% of men reported experiencing sexual harassment.

The survey revealed that the perpetrators of sexual harassment were mostly non-executive superiors (40.7%), followed by employees (23.5%) and colleagues of similar rank (17.7%).

Sexual harassment is often verbal, causing victims to feel ashamed and humiliated. However, the perpetrators often take it lightly, unaware of the severe impact on the victims. In fact, 15% of victims reported considering self-harm or death after experiencing sexual harassment.

The survey also found that 15.1% of respondents had been sexually harassed or assaulted at work, with women (19.7%) and irregular workers (20.8%) being disproportionately affected. Regular workers reported a lower rate of 11.3%.

Among those who experienced sexual harassment or assault, 54.3% reported that the level of damage was serious. This percentage was higher among women (58.2%) and irregular workers (61.4%) compared to men (41.8%) and regular workers (45.6%).

Furthermore, 10.6% of respondents reported experiencing stalking in the workplace, with non-executive superiors (34.9%) and coworkers of similar rank (20.2%) being the most common perpetrators.

Kim Se-jeong, a labor attorney at Workplace Bullying 119, emphasized the need for organizational culture and individual awareness changes to prevent sexual violence in the workplace. She noted that while the legal system has been established or improved over the past year, there has been no clear effect.

The survey was conducted from May 31 to June 10, targeting office workers aged 19 or older nationwide.

Key Findings:

• 22.6% of office workers have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace since starting their career.
• Non-executive superiors are the most common perpetrators of sexual harassment (40.7%).
• 15% of victims reported considering self-harm or death after experiencing sexual harassment.
• 54.3% of those who experienced sexual harassment or assault reported that the level of damage was serious.