Sexual Harassment Complaints
On Rise
Condensed from article in the London Free Press November 5, 1997
Original article written by Jane Sims
Sexual harassment complaints filed with the Ontario Human Rights
Commission have almost doubled since 1989. The commission receives about
100,000 inquires a year. Statistics Canada estimates 1.2 million women and
300,00 men experience some form of sexual harassment at work. The vast majority
of people do not complain because they fear reprisals, and they don't trust the
organization they work for, their unions or the legal system.
In 1996 only five of the 234 sexual harassment complaints filed with the commission
received full board inquires with adjudicators hearing evidence. A total of 105
were settled before getting to the board process, the rest were withdrawn or
dismissed.
The Ontario Human Rights Commission will act as a free consultant to
organizations implementing sexual harassment policies by meeting with employees
and unions and holding workshops for employees.
Recommendations from the jury on the Theresa Vince case have been made
to the government that sexual harassment be made part of the Occupational Health
and Safety Act. If this happens it would mean speedier investigations of
harassment complaints, greater attention paid to the issue by employers and more
discussion and awareness of appropriate workplace behavior by employer and
employees alike. If harassment becomes part of the Health and Safety Act more
funding will be required for investigators and better training in these issues
by ministry staff.
