Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: A Critical Area of Concern in Australia

Running head: SOCIOLOGY
SOCIOLOGY
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1SOCIOLOGY
Introduction
Sexual harassment is against the law as stated under the Equal Opportunity Act 2010
(McDonald, Charlesworth & Graham, 2015). Sexual harassment refers to unwelcome sexual
behavioural patterns which could be predictable to make an individual feel insulted, disgraced or
demoralized and further can be physical, verbal or written. Moreover, sexual harassment is not
regarded as consensual communication, flirtation or companionship. Acts of sexual harassment
is considered as a conductor behavioural approach which is mutually agreed upon. McDonald
and Charlesworth (2016) have noted that despite being proscribed for more than 25 years, sexual
harassment remains a critical area of concern in Australia.
Background
Reports of the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) on sexual harassment in
Australian workplaces have demonstrated that sexual harassment has been remaining as a
significant area of concern for both employees and employers. Such a concern is predominantly
evident when the increasing rate of women has been reported to be facing workplace sexual
harassment and thus becoming more prevalent. According to McDonald, Charlesworth and
Graham (2015), in majority of industrialized nations, workplace sexual harassment is lawfully
prohibited in anti-discrimination laws which in general determine a method whereby individual
employees has the authority to register a formal grievance and further seek acknowledgement or
redress for the acts of sexual harassment at workplaces through a conciliation procedure. Acts of
sexual harassment at workplaces can be perpetuated against women as well as men. However,
the significant number of cases of sexual harassment in the workplace have been perpetuated by
men in opposition to women as women often do not attain equal status as men with a significant