Gender equality and prevention of violence in the workplace

Gendered violence can range from comments and gestures to physical assault. It can occur through virtual platforms and can include:

• Sexual harassment and assault
• Physical assault
• Offensive language and imagery
• Verbal abuse
• Innuendo, insinuations and put-downs
• Stalking, intimidation or threats
• Sexually explicit gestures
• ‘Deadnaming’ someone by deliberately mis gendering them, using incorrect pronouns, or not using their preferred name
• Ostracism, exclusion, discrimination or victimisation

For more information, visit: What is gendered violence? | WorkSafe Victoria

Sexual harassment is unwelcome sexual behaviour or actions that may create a risk to someone’s health and safety.

Sexual harassment can be physical, verbal, or written. It can be a single incident or happen more than once. The behaviour does not need to be repeated to be sexual harassment. It may include:

• Actual or attempted sexual assault or rape
• Physical assault, abuse or threats targeted at an individual because of their sex, gender or sexuality
• Sexually suggestive comments, questions or jokes
• Displaying offensive sexual images or objects
• Repeated requests to go out

Any of these behaviours may constitute sexual harassment. All are unacceptable. Sexual harassment is a serious occupational health and safety issue.

To learn more visit: What is sexual harassment? | WorkSafe Victoria

As defined in the Family Violence Protection Act 2008, it is: any behaviour that is sexually, emotionally, psychologically or economically abusive, coercive or threatening. It can also include any behaviour by a person that causes a child to hear or witness or otherwise be exposed to the effects of behaviours described previously.

Most family violence is perpetrated by a current or former partner, but it may also refer to acts of violence between family members such as sibling violence or elder abuse, as well as chosen family or kinship networks and relationships.

Learn more about family violence here: Prevention of violence against women, family and gender-based violence

Family violence becomes a workplace issue when its effect on an individual extends beyond the home and into the workplace. Family violence can also occur directly in the workplace and affect your staff, or your clients.

Workplaces play an important role in preventing and responding to family violence.

More information for employers can be found here: Addressing family violence in the workplace | WorkSafe Victoria

And businesses can commit to being a Respectful Workplace. One way of doing this is to follow the Our Watch – Workplace Equality and Respect Standards. These standards provide practical steps to assess your organisation's strengths and identify opportunities for improvement.

The 5 standards are:

• Commitment: We demonstrate an ongoing commitment to workplace gender equality and preventing sexual harassment and other forms of gender-based violence.
• Conditions: We apply a gender lens to our workplace policies and practices to ensure they are fair and equitable.
• Culture: We promote a workplace culture where all people feel safe, confident, and supported to actively challenge gender bias and discrimination, gender stereotypes and harmful gender norms without adverse consequences.
• Support: We listen to, respect and support people who experience sexual harassment and gender-based violence (including domestic and family violence) through policies and practices that consider the impact of trauma.
• Core business: We promote gender equality in our external engagement with customers, stakeholders, and the community.

The Fair Work Commission offers a free online course to help you respond if you experience or witness workplace sexual harassment.

The course covers:

• What workplace sexual harassment is
• How it impacts those involved
• Available resources and support

You can access Fair Work Commission module

Our Watch also provides practical resources for how to be an Active Bystander. Every employee plays a vital role in shaping a respectful workplace culture. By understanding your role and taking action, you can help create a safer, more inclusive environment.

Explore Our Watch resources

Safe and Equal can provide training to help you strengthen the way your organisation understands and responds to family violence, both for your employees and your customers. They can offer e-learning, responding to disclosures training, leadership workshops, and more, all tailored for business and workplaces.

Read more: Supporting Businesses and Workplaces | Safe and Equal

There are a range of organisations that are well placed to assist you with learning more.

• Fair Work Ombudsman: Australia’s workplace relations regulator Welcome to the Fair Work Ombudsman website
• Worksafe Victoria: Victoria’s workplace health and safety regulator WorkSafe Victoria
• Our Watch: A national leader in the primary prevention of violence against women and their children in Australia Our Watch | Preventing violence against women
• Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission: the Commission’s role is to protect and promote human rights in Victoria Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission | Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission
• Safe and Equal: the peak body for Victorian organisations that specialise in family and gender-based violence Safe and Equal | Standing strong against family violence