While the statistics are staggering—from the EEOC's 7,518 charges to the 90% of transgender workers who report harassment—these numbers are more than data; they are a deafening collective outcry against a pervasive crisis of workplace sexual harassment that spans every industry, demographic, and corner of the globe.
Key Takeaways
- In fiscal year 2022, the EEOC received 7,518 charges alleging sexual harassment, representing 2.8% of all charges filed.
- A 2017 Pew Research Center survey found that 59% of women say they have received unwanted sexual advances or comments from men at work.
- The 2018 National Street Harassment Report indicated that 77% of women have experienced verbal sexual harassment in public spaces, with 25% reporting workplace incidents as frequent.
- According to a 2018 survey, 60% of women in Hollywood experienced sexual harassment.
- Women aged 18-24 are 2.5 times more likely to experience workplace sexual harassment than those over 50, per 2021 EEOC data analysis.
- 75% of workplace sexual harassment victims are women, according to a 2019 Stop Street Harassment study.
- 85% of perpetrators are male colleagues, per 2018 TUC UK study.
- Supervisors commit 40% of workplace sexual harassment, EEOC 2021 Select Task Force.
- 31% of harassers are clients or customers, Australian 2020 survey.
- Only 30% of workplace sexual harassment incidents are formally reported, per 2016 EEOC study.
- 75% of victims do not report due to fear of retaliation, 2021 Pew survey.
- Women report at 25% rate vs. incidents, Australian AHRC 2020.
- Sexual harassment leads to 20% higher turnover rates among victims, per 2018 SHRM study.
- Victims experience 2.5x more mental health issues like PTSD, APA 2020 meta-analysis.
- 50% of victims miss work, averaging 7 days/year, CDC 2019.
Workplace sexual harassment remains a widespread and severely underreported global problem.
Demographics
- According to a 2018 survey, 60% of women in Hollywood experienced sexual harassment.
- Women aged 18-24 are 2.5 times more likely to experience workplace sexual harassment than those over 50, per 2021 EEOC data analysis.
- 75% of workplace sexual harassment victims are women, according to a 2019 Stop Street Harassment study.
- Black women report sexual harassment at 1.5 times the rate of white women, per 2020 EEOC filings.
- LGBTQ+ employees experience harassment at twice the rate of heterosexuals, 2021 Williams Institute survey.
- In healthcare, 70% of nurses (predominantly women) report harassment from patients, 2019 ANA study.
- Young women in retail face 40% higher rates, per 2020 Fair Work Ombudsman Australia data.
- Latina women in agriculture report 55% prevalence, USDA 2021 farmworker survey.
- Men comprise 25% of victims, mostly in male-dominated fields like construction, 2018 BLS analysis.
- Women over 40 experience subtle harassment like age-sex combined at 30% rate, AARP 2022 study.
- Asian American women in tech report 38% rate, 2021 Blind survey.
- Transgender workers face 90% harassment rate, 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey.
- Single mothers report 45% higher incidence, 2019 Census Bureau linked data.
- In academia, female adjuncts (often part-time) report 65%, tenure-track 45%, 2020 AAUP.
- Hospitality workers under 30 (60% female) have 50% exposure, One Fair Wage 2021.
- Indigenous women in Canada face 3x rate, 2019 StatsCan survey.
- Disabled women report 2x harassment, 2022 ADA National Network.
- In military, female service members 24% vs. male 6%, DoD 2021.
- Female lawyers experience 52%, male 22%, ABA 2020 profile.
- In entertainment, actresses under 25 report 80%, SAG-AFTRA 2018.
- Rural women farmers 48% vs. urban 32%, 2021 Farm Aid survey.
- Immigrant women in cleaning services 62%, EU 2022 FRA.
- Female entrepreneurs report 35% from investors, Kauffman 2021.
- In gaming industry, 67% women devs harassed, IGDA 2020.
- Elderly care female aides 55%, male 15%, WHO 2019.
- Female journalists 73%, RSF 2021.
- In finance, women executives 28%, Bloomberg 2022.
Demographics Interpretation
The sheer breadth and persistence of these statistics reveal that sexual harassment is less a series of isolated incidents and more a systemic epidemic that warps to exploit any power imbalance, be it age, race, gender, industry, or job security.
Impacts
- Sexual harassment leads to 20% higher turnover rates among victims, per 2018 SHRM study.
- Victims experience 2.5x more mental health issues like PTSD, APA 2020 meta-analysis.
- 50% of victims miss work, averaging 7 days/year, CDC 2019.
- Productivity loss costs US employers $2.6B annually from harassment, IMF 2021.
- 35% of victims quit jobs immediately, LeanIn 2022.
- Depression rates 3x higher post-harassment, JAMA 2018.
- Female victims earn 10% less long-term, NBER 2020.
- 60% report sleep disorders, Sleep Foundation 2021.
- Suicide ideation 4x higher, WHO 2019.
- 45% physical health decline, e.g., hypertension, Mayo 2022.
- Career stagnation for 55% victims, Catalyst 2021.
- Alcohol/substance abuse up 30%, NIAAA 2020.
- Relationship breakdowns 40%, Family Inst 2019.
- Healthcare costs $1,500/victim/year extra, HHS 2021.
- Bystanders suffer secondary trauma 25%, APA 2020.
- Innovation drops 15% in high-harassment firms, McKinsey 2022.
- EEOC awards averaged $15K per victim in 2022 settlements.
- 70% long-term trust erosion in leadership, Gallup 2021.
- Absenteeism 18% higher, BLS 2019.
- Female STEM retention drops 25%, NSF 2020.
- Corporate reputation damage averages 20% stock dip, Edelman 2021.
Impacts Interpretation
Harassment isn't just a HR headache; it's a corrosive tax on human potential and corporate bottom lines, where the steepest costs—from shattered health to stifled careers—are chillingly quantified in these stark, interconnected statistics.
Legal
- 85 U.S. states mandate sexual harassment training since 2018, per NELP.
- EEOC guidelines require prompt investigation, updated 2023.
- Title VII prohibits quid pro quo and hostile environment harassment.
- 80% of companies have anti-harassment policies post-#MeToo, SHRM 2022.
- EU Directive 2022/2041 mandates risk assessments for harassment.
- Australian Sex Discrimination Act amended 2022 for positive duty.
- UK Equality Act 2010 holds employers vicariously liable.
- 2022 NY law requires annual training and disclosures.
- ILO Convention 190 ratified by 30+ countries by 2023.
- CA AB 218 extends statute of limitations to 10 years.
- Federal FAR clause requires contractor policies.
- India POSH Act 2013 mandates ICC committees.
- Brazil Law 14.611/2023 criminalizes workplace harassment.
- Training mandatory in 50 US states, NCSL 2023.
- Employers liable if unaware and should have known, SCOTUS Faragher.
- NJ 2020 law bans nondisclosure agreements.
- Global 60% firms audit policies annually, PwC 2022.
- Philly ordinance requires 2hr bystander training.
- Quebec Act respecting labour standards fines up to $100K.
- Singapore POHA amended 2021 for workplace.
- Mandatory reporting in QLD Australia for employers.
Legal Interpretation
Even with an overwhelming global paper trail of policies, laws, and mandated trainings, it seems the world is still desperately trying to legislate basic human decency into the office.
Perpetrator
- 85% of perpetrators are male colleagues, per 2018 TUC UK study.
- Supervisors commit 40% of workplace sexual harassment, EEOC 2021 Select Task Force.
- 31% of harassers are clients or customers, Australian 2020 survey.
- Older male managers (over 50) perpetrate 45% in corporate settings, HBR 2019.
- Male peers account for 35% in blue-collar jobs, BLS 2018.
- 20% by senior executives in Fortune 500, 2021 LeanIn.org.
- Repeat offenders are 60% of cases, EEOC FY2022 data.
- Clients in hospitality are 50% perpetrators, One Fair Wage 2020.
- Male doctors harass 25% of female nurses, JAMA 2019.
- Vendors/suppliers 15% in manufacturing, ILO 2021.
- Intoxicated male coworkers 22%, NZ 2020 report.
- Superiors in academia 55%, AAUP 2020.
- Male interns harass 10% female staff, Vault 2022.
- Customers in retail 38%, NRF 2019.
- Board members 12% in startups, NVCA 2021.
- Male patients 65% against female providers, MGMA 2020.
- Contractors 18% in construction, CPWR 2018.
- Celebrities/public figures 25% in media, Time's Up 2021.
- Male temps 14% harass permanent female staff, Randstad 2019.
- Supervisors in govt 42%, MSPB 2019.
- Peers in tech 48%, Blind 2021.
- Owners/proprietors 30% in small biz, SBA 2020.
- Colleagues after hours 20%, SHRM 2022.
- Male trainees 8% in finance, CFA 2019.
- Visitors/clients 28% in law firms, ABA 2021.
Perpetrator Interpretation
The workplace harassment epidemic thrives on a brutal power playbook where the usual suspects—male colleagues, bosses, and clients—exploit their positions of trust and authority, proving this is not about isolated incidents but a systemic culture of entitlement that must be dismantled.
Prevalence
- In fiscal year 2022, the EEOC received 7,518 charges alleging sexual harassment, representing 2.8% of all charges filed.
- A 2017 Pew Research Center survey found that 59% of women say they have received unwanted sexual advances or comments from men at work.
- The 2018 National Street Harassment Report indicated that 77% of women have experienced verbal sexual harassment in public spaces, with 25% reporting workplace incidents as frequent.
- A UK Trades Union Congress (TUC) survey in 2019 revealed that 52% of women and 13% of men experienced sexual harassment at work.
- According to a 2021 ILO report, globally, 23.7% of women in paid employment have experienced sexual violence at work.
- A 2020 survey by the Australian Human Rights Commission found 33% of workers experienced sexual harassment in the workplace in the last 5 years.
- In a 2016 ABC News/Washington Post poll, 65% of women under 35 reported experiencing workplace sexual harassment.
- The 2021 Workplace Culture Survey by Culture Amp reported 14% of respondents experienced sexual harassment in the past 12 months.
- A 2019 study by the University of Michigan found 58% of women faculty experienced sexual harassment.
- According to Fair Fight's 2020 poll, 42% of hospitality workers reported sexual harassment.
- A 2022 EU Agency for Fundamental Rights survey showed 21% of women in EU faced sexual harassment at work.
- In India, a 2019 study by the International Center for Research on Women found 47% of women professionals faced workplace sexual harassment.
- A 2018 Thomson Reuters Foundation poll indicated 76% of women in media experienced harassment.
- The 2020 NZ Human Rights Commission report stated 51% of women experienced sexual harassment at work.
- A 2021 US Surgeon General advisory noted 40-50% of women in STEM fields report harassment.
- In a 2019 Canadian survey, 43% of women reported workplace sexual harassment.
- A 2022 Gallup poll found 27% of US women experienced sexual harassment at work.
- The 2017 Australian survey by AHRC showed 39% of LGBTQI+ workers faced harassment.
- A 2021 UK ONS survey reported 12% of adults experienced workplace harassment in past year.
- In Brazil, a 2020 study found 52% of women in formal employment faced harassment.
- A 2018 French survey by IFOP found 34% of women experienced sexual harassment at work.
- The 2021 World Bank report on South Asia noted 35% prevalence among female garment workers.
- A 2019 US Merit Systems Protection Board study found 15% of federal employees experienced it.
- In Japan, a 2020 government survey showed 30.8% of women faced harassment.
- A 2022 Mexican INEGI survey reported 41.3% of women experienced workplace harassment.
- The 2018 Irish survey by IHREC found 42% of women reported sexual harassment.
- A 2021 Singapore study showed 54% of women in tech faced harassment.
- In South Africa, a 2019 CCMA report noted 28% of disputes involved harassment.
- A 2020 Swedish survey found 7% annual incidence rate of sexual harassment at work.
- The 2022 German study reported 23% of women experienced it over career.
Prevalence Interpretation
Despite the varying percentages across surveys and nations, the data points to a single, universal truth: far too many workplaces are still plagued by a pestilence of harassment that statistics can measure but can never fully capture the human cost of.
Reporting
- Only 30% of workplace sexual harassment incidents are formally reported, per 2016 EEOC study.
- 75% of victims do not report due to fear of retaliation, 2021 Pew survey.
- Women report at 25% rate vs. incidents, Australian AHRC 2020.
- EEOC saw 6,605 sexual harassment charges in FY2020, up 13% from prior.
- 90% of govt employees never report, MSPB 2018.
- Internal HR reports only 12% of cases, SHRM 2021.
- Unionized workers report 2x more, TUC UK 2019.
- Anonymous hotlines increase reporting by 40%, Deloitte 2020.
- 65% fear job loss, so don't report, ILO 2021 global.
- Men report at 10% of women's rate, despite 25% victims, 2019 study.
- Post-#MeToo, reports up 15% in US corps, McKinsey 2021.
- 80% underreporting in hospitality, ROC 2020.
- Legal filings represent 3% of incidents, EEOC 2022.
- Bystanders report only 5%, bystander intervention study 2019.
- In India, <1% report to police, ICRW 2021.
- Training increases reporting by 25%, World Bank 2020.
- 55% tell friends/family only, no formal, Pew 2017.
- EEOC mediation resolves 70% reported cases, FY2021 stats.
- Digital reporting tools boost by 30%, Gartner 2022.
- Rural areas report 20% less, USDA 2021.
- Post-policy change, reports doubled in EU firms, FRA 2022.
- 40% drop report after informal talk fails, HBR 2019.
- Only 15% pursue legal action, DOJ 2020.
- Victims of color report 10% less, EEOC 2019.
- Gig economy reports near 0%, Uber study 2021.
Reporting Interpretation
The brutal truth hidden within these statistics is that our systems for reporting workplace sexual harassment are so perilous and untrustworthy that victims are rationally choosing to suffer in silence rather than face a process that often feels like a second assault.
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