ILO says 23% of workers experience workplace harassment

A survey was released that one in five workers experienced workplace harassment globally. The International Labor Organization (ILO) unveiled its report on December 5 that surveyed some 125,000 people aged 15 and older in 121 nations. It is the first time the ILO investigated the issue of workplace violence and harassment worldwide.

According to the report on Monday, 22.8% of the respondents said they had experienced bullying at work. The most common type of harassment was psychological violence (17.9%). As many as 8.5% of the respondents said they experienced physical violence or harassment. Of respondents, 6.3% reported facing sexual violence or harassment, with women (8.2%) being more exposed than men (5%).

The survey also found that workplace violence and harassment are not easily exposed. According to the report, only 54.4% of the victims had disclosed their experiences to someone else, most likely to family members or friends, instead of going public, and often only after they had suffered the violence repeatedly. The common reasons for non-disclosure were "waste of time" and "fear for their reputation."

The groups most likely to be affected by workplace violence and harassment include young workers aged between 15 and 24 and migrant workers. Young women and female migrant workers, in particular, were twice as likely as their male counterparts to be exposed to sexual violence at work.


Min Kim kimmin@donga.com