Inappropriate sexual behavior is common in Quebec workplaces, study finds

Inappropriate sexual behaviour in Quebec workplaces is commonplace, according to a Friday report commissioned by Labour Minister Jean Boulet.

About half of the people surveyed said they observed or experienced inappropriate behaviour in the previous year. The report says the existing methods of complaint and redress are inadequate.

A committee of three professors and specialists in labour law pored over nearly 500 employment injury claims, 125 complaints of psychological harassment of a sexual nature, nearly 80 complaints to the workplace health and safety board and dozens more to the Human Rights Commission.

In 2020, 49 per cent of the people in those cases observed or experienced inappropriate sexual behaviour in their workplaces in the previous year.

Twenty-six per cent of women and 13 per cent of men were personally targeted, according to the report. Women were more likely to be exposed to inappropriate sexual communications, unwanted physical contact, suggested sexual relations and sexual assault, while men were more likely to be exposed to sexually explicit materials.

Some people were victimized more than others, including young women, women with disabilities and LGBTQ2 people.

The report also suggested workplaces are not effectively dealing with sexual harassment and sexual assault after a minority of employees said they received training on sexual harassment.

One in two victims said they told a colleague about it, but often, it was not someone in a position of authority. Only a small fraction of victims surveyed said they made formal complaints.

One of the authors of the report says Quebecers are dealing with a decades-old workplace culture that tolerates, or even quietly condones, inappropriate sexual behavior.

“We need to look at the evidence on what is an effective measure for preventing sexual harassment, and that’s to start a conversation about it in the workplace,” said labour law specialist Rachel Cox.

“And to say, ‘who sees this as a problem here? In our workplace, what does this mean?’,” she added. “It’s almost always men who are perpetrating these behaviours. What’s going on in their heads? Why do they do it? What is their perspective?”

“That’s when you start getting real change,” she said.

One of the report’s main recommendations is that employers and private contractors in charge of worksites are held accountable, with consequences, if they don't take action.

There are 82 recommendations, and the study’s authors say they don’t see a reason for the labour minister to wait before acting on them.

In a statement to CTV News, the minister said he’s analyzing the report, and that policy changes may come.