1 in 8 ABC news employees have experienced sexual harassment internal survey finds
A damning staff survey of ABC employees found that 13% have experienced sexual harassment in the past two years.
Of the 745 news department staffers who participated, 97 reported instances of sexual harassment; 90% of these respondents were female employees.
Over a quarter of people surveyed also claimed to have been bullied, with female staff twice as likely to be a victim.
5% of the 399 people who experienced bullying said they did not make a formal complaint, 65% did, and only 30% felt supported by their manager.
The survey, conducted by the Australian National University’s Social Research Centre on behalf of the ABC, also found that approximately 30% of female respondents reported feeling unsafe at work.
Of the respondents who reported sexual harassment, most indicated that it took place in the office, and eight out of 10 claimed the perpetrator was a man.
In an email to employees, ABC News director Justin Stevens said the organisation was “determined to enact change that will ensure we all come to work with the assurance we will be safe”.
ABC managing director David Anderson described the sexual harassment and bullying reported in the survey as “unacceptable”.
“If anyone doesn’t understand or accept this, then the ABC is not the working environment for them. There will be consequences for those staff who are found to have behaved in an unacceptable manner, no matter what their role is at the ABC.”
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