The Czech Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs released a research study about harassment and sexual harassment in the workplace in the Czech Republic. The research was conducted by the Institute of Sociology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and the Department Gender & Sociology. The research found the following:- 2% of the population had experienced from their colleagues an attempted rape
- The majority of victims of sexual harassment in the workplace are women
- Most common forms of sexual harassment experienced by the Czech population in the workplace are: sexually tinged jokes, allusions on family live, sexual offers, etc. These forms of harassment have been experienced by more than 50% of employees, at some working places more than 75%. Half of the population had a love affair at workplace.
- One quarter of the respondents had faced sexual harassment at work.
- Unwanted physical contact, sexual offers, and offers to date in spite of verbalized rejection were experienced by 1/5 of the Czech population. It is alarming that the initiator of such behavior is men in a superior position in 15 – 23% of the incidents. Cases where power and status are misused appear to be very serious, particularly because the victim perceives its situation as more helpless. The helplessness is strengthened especially in groups of employees with lower education and in regions with high unemployment because of fear from losing job.
- In the Czech Republic, it is not usual to have trained specialist for personal relations. Such a specialist would be able to solve cases of sexual harassment in workplaces.
To download the paper, please go to: http://www.mpsv.cz/files/clanky/1699/obtezovani.pdf
Compiled from: Obtežování žen a mužu a sexuální obtežování v ceském systému pracovních vztahu, Alena Krížková et.al., 2005