National Security
We must speak up
S By Naomi Oakley Correspondent
8 | Australian Security Magazine
exual Harassment is alive and well within the security industry today. As a woman who has come from one male dominated workplace to another, (VICPOL to the security industry), I believe that I can assist in creating more awareness and driving much needed change. The following statistics from a 2008 survey indicate that sexual harassment continues to be a problem, despite some improvement since 2003, and that more action is required. The survey found that 22% of women and 5% of men aged 18-64 have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace in their lifetime, compared to 28% of women and 7% of men in 2003. Around one in three women in Australia aged 18-64 have experienced sexual harassment in their lifetime. The majority of sexual harassment continues to be experienced in the workplace (65%). Nearly half of those who have been sexually harassed in the last five years report that it has also happened to someone else in the same workplace. Over one in ten Australians have witnessed sexual harassment in the workplace in the last five years. In the last five years, 4% of Australians have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace, compared to 11% in 2003. After conducting extensive on-line research I have established the lack of face-to-face programs available within the security industry in regards to this topic. Therefore I am currently liaising with a registered training organization, AuSAFE, (Australian Security and First Aid Education), with the aim to provide face-to-face Sexual Harassment Awareness programs to ensure employees have a better understanding as to what constitutes sexual harassment and companies show initiative and promote a zero tolerance to sexual harassment.
An article in The Age recently highlighted the lack of training in sex harassment for security at entertainment and music venues. Interestingly, after the article was published, a number of women within the security industry contacted me to tell me about sexual harassment incidents that they were experiencing at work on a daily basis. These included: Male workers reading porno magazines in armored vehicles in the presence of female workers; Male security ‘hitting on them’ at work or ‘hitting on’ patrons. Dirty jokes and constant smut talk (including Email and SMS). Magazines with sexual content left on tables in staff areas. Clearly, these kinds of behaviours should not be happening in 2015, in a society that is working to provide higher participation rates for women at work and greater safety for women in general. The awarding of Rosie Batty as Australian of the Year 2015 put domestic violence, particularly male violence towards women and children, in the spotlight. Perhaps this is an indication that in Australia, we’re finally beginning to understand the impact that domestic and family violence can have on those who experience it. But, as former Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick stated, in an interview with Women’s Agenda: “All too often we don’t think in the same way about sexual harassment. We think the person crossing the line didn’t mean any harm, or say to ourselves ‘he’s just like that – don’t take it personally. She goes on to say that ‘…every day the courageous people who stand up and speak out when they see harassment at work are accused of not being able to take a joke, and derided as ‘too PC’.’ ‘But – as all of us know – sexual harassment isn’t a joke and it does have a serious impact on those who experience it.’