Almost half of workers in Wales have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace

Nearly half of employees in Wales have experienced some form of sexual harassment in the workplace, according to a survey by TUC Cymru.

46% of respondents to a Censuswide survey said they had been a victim of workplace sexual harassment, with 8% of employees saying they didn’t know how to report incidents when they occur.

A Censuswide survey of 2000 employees across Wales found 43% of men and 48% of women reported experiencing sexual harassment at work; with highest prevalence in the architecture, engineering, and building industries (66%).

Although around half of respondents did report their sexual harassment, a further 7% did not report incidents of harassments for fear of impacting their career, and 10% did not trust that they’d be believed by the employer.

And shockingly, more than 1 in 10 respondents said their workplace either had no formal sexual harassment policy or they were not aware of a policy in place.

Fear

Many workers fear the repercussions of reporting sexual harassment and the impact it will have on them and their careers. Identifying safe reporting routes can be difficult for workers, with workplace power dynamics often meaning people feel they must put up with harassment or leave their jobs.

From October 2024, the Worker Protection Act places further responsibilities on employers to discipline or hold accountable those who are found guilty of sexual harassment. The legislation includes harassment from customers, clients, service users, or members of the public, and would include conduct in any event or situation related to work such as a Christmas party, client event, or messaging between colleagues.

TUC Cymru has launched a campaign, called We’ll Support You, to tackle sexual harassment in the workplace. Created to raise awareness around support available to workers from unions, the organisation has published a handbook to give union reps the information and resources they need to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace.

“This has to stop”

Kay Stevens, TSSA union rep, spoke about her own experiences as both a victim and an advocate.

She said:“I had a colleague that just kept putting his arms around me and touching me. I told him that it made me feel very uncomfortable, so he’d stop for a bit and then carry on doing it.

“I reported it to management, who told me he was just being friendly. I was so disappointed by their response – I’d asked him to stop, so why hadn’t he?

“Now as a union rep, my experiences of workplace sexual harassment have made me even more passionate about ensuring that everyone is safe at work at all times. Everyone should feel safe in the workplace, and they deserve to have someone in their corner. Whether it’s happening now or happened a long time ago, I’d urge people to speak to their union reps – we’re here, we will listen, and we will act.”

Shavanah Taj, TUC Cymru General Secretary said:  “Everyone deserves to feel safe at work. It’s shocking that, in 2025, nearly half of all workers in Wales have experienced sexual harassment at work. This has to stop. And that’s why we’re launching our We’ll Support You campaign.

“Trade unions and reps are ideally placed to tackle sexual harassment in the workplace. Our We’ll Support you campaign will show all workers in Wales that, if they experience or witness sexual harassment, their trade union rep will be there, a visible ally by their side, every step of the way.

 “This campaign will empower trade union reps to negotiate with their employer and make sure they’re complying with the new Worker Protection Act. Ultimately, this capaign will reduce the amount of sexual harassment taking place in workplaces in Wales.”