Rise in workplace harassment reports as awareness increases

Reports on harassment in the workplace, or online between colleagues, have increased, as a direct result of a change in trade unions’ policies on the matter, which encourages more sufferers to come forward and avoid being victimised twice.

This was reported by Equality Minister Helena Dalli, as she addressed a conference for shop stewards on online and workplace harassment, organised by the General Workers’ Union and Labour MEP Miriam Dalli.

Dalli highlighted the need for more awareness on this issue, especially in light of the frequency of this happening on the internet, so that victims’ experience can serve to increase recognition of the problem and lead to more people seeking justice.

“The effect of harassing comments, which used to be communicated face to face, is now being amplified when they are written online, since the lack of direct contact with another person is resulting in a higher number of these instances,” she said.

MEP Miriam Dalli

Experts at the conference confirmed that police have seen more reports on harassment coming their way since 2016.

The minister noted various changes in the law meant to improve victim protection, including the government’s strategy to address domestic and gender-based violence.

She also spoke of the equality bill and the setting up of the Commission for Human Rights and Equality, underscoring that the more laws of this type were passed, the more people would be protected through the putting into effect of the Paris Principles and reiterating the government commitment to advancing in this area.

Miriam Dalli stressed that more than laws and enforcement was needed, and that effective policies and training on the workplace, for employers and employees, would be key to increasing public consciousness on this problem.

Shop stewards received training in this regard during the conference.