In Hong Kong, an alarming 34 per cent of female respondents have reported experiencing workplace sexual harassment over the past three years, according to a joint survey that the Democratic Alliance of Betterment and Progress (DAB) conducted alongside several civil society organisations. Yet more than 60 per cent of victims opted not to take any action.
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Of those who were harassed, only 30 per cent informed a superior, 22 per cent filed a formal complaint, and just 7.6 per cent pursued legal action. Some respondents even said they viewed harassment as a normalised behaviour that is commonplace and unsurprising. The survey results also suggest that employees and management do not fully understand the definition of sexual harassment due to a lack of training.
In response to these findings, the DAB proposed a paucity of measures – including provision of workplace training, the establishment of clear guidelines, and improved channels for complaints – that are insufficient at best and doomed to fail at worst.
One of the biggest obstacles to overcome in combating harassment is the difficulty of evidence collection. Harassment often happens in the blink of an eye – catcalls, groping, or unwelcome physical contact are over in an instant. Victims rarely have the opportunity to record or document these acts as they happen and without concrete evidence, neither reporting mechanisms nor the threat of penalties have the power to deter offenders.
Public education campaigns, while essential, are insufficient when perpetrators know they will face little to no consequences
Equally problematic is the failure to consider the social and psychological barriers that prevent victims from coming forward. As the World Bank’s 2015 World Development Report pointed out, human behaviour is often influenced by group dynamics and social norms. When victims perceive inaction or acceptance of harassment as the norm, they are less likely to report incidents. This under-reporting, coupled with the lack of successful complaints due to poor evidence collection, reinforces a culture of silence and resignation, perpetuating the vicious cycle of harassment.
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