Study Finds One in Ten South West Workers Have Witnessed Sexual Harassment

New research has found that more than one in ten adults in the South West say they have witnessed behaviour at work they considered to be sexual harassment, one year after new legal duties on employers came into force.

The findings come from a study by online training provider High Speed Training, published a year on from the introduction of the Worker Protection Act.

Concerns Remain in the South West

According to the research, around one in five UK adults in the South West, 18 percent, say they are concerned about sexual harassment in the workplace. More than one in ten, 11 percent, reported that they had personally witnessed behaviour they believed amounted to sexual harassment while at work.

The Worker Protection Act (2023), which came into force in October 2024, introduced a legal duty for employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their employees. The law places responsibility on employers, rather than employees, to act on inappropriate conduct and strengthens protections and support for workers who experience sexual harassment at work.

Despite this, a YouGov survey carried out for High Speed Training found that fewer than half of workers in the South West, 49 percent, are confident that employers have taken these reasonable steps. The survey also showed that only 61 percent of workers in the region feel confident that a report of sexual harassment would be handled effectively.

What Counts as Sexual Harassment?

Dr Richard Anderson, Head of Learning and Development at High Speed Training, said: “The term ‘sexual harassment’ refers to any sort of unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that has this effect. Anybody who experiences unwanted sexual behaviour, whether this be verbal, physical or digital, is a victim of sexual harassment.”

Examples highlighted in the research include sexual comments, jokes or inappropriate remarks, messages or emails of a sexual nature, sexual propositions or bribes, inappropriate comments on social media, gestures or facial expressions, and unwanted physical contact, including unwelcome advances and sexual assault.

Younger Workers More Likely to Witness It

Looking at the UK as a whole, the research found clear differences between age groups. Workers aged 18 to 24 were more than three times as likely to say they had witnessed sexual harassment in the workplace compared with those aged 45 and over, at 24 percent versus 7 percent.

The findings suggest that younger employees may be more exposed to, or more aware of, inappropriate behaviour. They may also be more likely to be in junior or entry level roles, which could leave them feeling less able to challenge such behaviour.

Dr Anderson said: “A year on from the introduction of the new Worker Protection Act, our research has shown that there is still lots of work to be done.

“If we expand our findings to the whole of the UK workforce, which the ONS estimated to be 36.9 million people in December 2024, these findings would suggest that nearly 3 million people have witnessed sexual harassment in the workplace in the last 12 months, underlining the need for the new legislation, and showing just how much work employers need to do to ensure that everyone feels safe and supported at work.”

Training Uptake Sees Sharp Rise

High Speed Training says the new law has led to a sharp rise in demand for training. Since the Worker Protection Act came into force 12 months ago, the company has seen a more than 1,500 percent increase in businesses enrolling staff on its Sexual Harassment Training for employees course. Uptake of its Sexual Harassment Training for managers course has risen by 2,234 percent over the same period.

Dr Anderson added: “A strong workplace culture, one that promotes transparency, trust and inclusivity, is built by visible and consistent action and investment. For organisations looking to demonstrate their commitment, comprehensive sexual harassment training is a great place to start.”

More information and the full report can be found via High Speed Training.