In a report released by the National Statistics Office (NSO), the ‘Survey on Safety and Well-being 2022’ sheds light on the prevalence of sexual harassment in the workplace in Malta.
The survey, which encompassed 3,000 women and 2,000 men, aimed to quantify gender-based violence, revealing that 27% of women and 11% of men have experienced sexual harassment at work.
The forms of harassment reported include inappropriate staring and leering, unwanted physical contact, exposure to unwanted sexual jokes and personal remarks, exposure to unwanted imagery, emails, and messages with sexual content, unwanted suggestions for a date or sexual activity, and unwanted advances on social media. Among these, inappropriate staring and leering emerged as the most common, with 12.2% of individuals who have ever worked reporting such behaviour.
However, the survey also uncovers a stark disconnect in perception versus reality. Despite the reported incidences, over half of the target population (51.6%) believes that sexual harassment at work is not common or does not happen at all. In contrast, only 18.3% consider it to be very or fairly common. This disparity highlights a significant awareness gap and underscores the need for increased education and preventative measures to protect all individuals in the workplace.
The NSO’s findings call for a critical examination of workplace cultures and the implementation of more robust policies to combat sexual harassment, ensuring a safer and more respectful environment for everyone.
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