11 Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Statistics for 2023
Navigating the landscape of 2023, it’s clear our workplaces are evolving fast. We’ve got Zoom meetings taking over boardrooms and AI tools that predict our next business move. Yet, here’s a jarring fact that might make you pause: a significant number of employees still face sexual harassment at work. What’s more is that most of these incidents go under the radar.
Now, this isn’t just about rattling off numbers. We go beyond the data by analyzing how this toxic behavior disrupts mental health, alters career paths, drains company resources, and continues to plague our work environments. Here are 11 sexual harassment in the workplace statistics.
1. According to a national study, 38% of women and 13% of men report being victims of sexual harassment in the workplace. (Source)
While the disparities between men’s and women’s experiences are evident, it’s a sobering reminder that harassment transcends gender and remains a widespread concern in modern workplaces (include this statistic: 81% of women and 43% of men reported experiencing some form of sexual harassment and/or assault in their lifetime.)… (cont.)
2. Of those who experienced a traumatic event like sexual harassment, 31% reported feeling depressed and anxious. (Source)
The ripple effects of harassment go beyond the immediate moment, often contributing to long-term mental health challenges like depression and anxiety (include some statistics from this study)… (cont.)
3. Research shows that 60% of women have experienced unwanted sexual attention, sexual coercion, sexually crude conduct, or sexist comments in the workplace. (Source)
Harassment is a complex issue that takes many forms, from overt acts to subtle comments (explain what constitutes sexual harassment)… (cont.)
4. In the restaurant industry, 71% of women have been sexually assaulted at work. (Source)
The restaurant industry’s uniquely high rates of harassment suggest that the issue is deeply entrenched in its work culture (include this statistic: 44% of women employees in the restaurant industry experienced sexual harassment from their manager or owner; also dive deeper into other industries like healthcare)… (cont.)
5. Three out of four sexual harassment claims in the workplace go unreported. (Source)
Many incidents go unreported due to fear of retaliation, job loss, stigmatization, or victims believing that no action will be taken (include this statistics: A recent Pew Research Center survey found that women (55%) are much more likely than men (36%) to say it is extremely or very common for people to experience sexual harassment or assault at work and not report it)… (cont.)
6. One in seven women changed jobs due to sexual harassment. (Source)
The impact of harassment isn’t confined to emotional tolls; it often alters life paths, forcing victims to make significant career moves… (cont.)
7. More than half of employees (56%) have witnessed or experienced sexual harassment in the workplace. (Source)
Sexual harassment isn’t an isolated issue; it’s a collective experience that impacts over half of the workforce in some way (include statistics from this article; discuss bystander intervention)… (cont.)
8. As many as 36% of organizations do not provide anti-harassment training to their employees. (Source)
Despite widespread acknowledgment of the harassment issue, many organizations fall short in preparing their staff to confront it… (cont.)
9. Workplace sexual harassment costs companies $2.6 billion in lost productivity. (Source)
The adverse effects of sexual harassment on mental health, job satisfaction, and the workplace environment all contribute to financial loss… (cont.)
10. The EEOC received 5,581 sexual harassment charges in 2021. (Source)
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is a critical source of data on workplace harassment in the U.S. These charges represent just the tip of the iceberg, as many more incidents go unreported… (cont.)
11. Globally, 51.9% of employees who were sexually harassed at work experienced it at least three times. (Source)
For over half of victims, sexual harassment in the workplace is not a one-time occurrence. With 56.5% of women and 46.2% of men reporting repeated instances, the repercussions of insufficient sexual harassment policies and the fear of reporting are clear… (cont.)
