ZAGREB, 25 Nov (Hina) – The results of a study conducted by the SSSH union federation and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, presented on Monday, show that nearly half of workers in Croatia are unaware of the existence of regulations for preventing sexual harassment, with many choosing not to react out of fear.
The SSSH and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation carried out a survey on sexual harassment in the workplace to develop recommendations for improving the legal framework and practices in this area. The study is part of a regional project involving countries like Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Italy, and Slovakia and was conducted in cooperation with the Central European Labour Studies Institute.
According to the results, nearly 45% of workers who experienced sexual harassment did not take any action. The primary reason, cited by 50% of respondents, was the belief that nothing would change.
“It is alarming that, among those who chose to respond, in more than half of the cases, there were no consequences for the perpetrators, and in only 27% of cases did the harassment stop,” said Jelena Ostojić, one of the study’s authors. Almost half the respondents were unaware of the existence of internal employer policies for handling sexual harassment cases.
These data clearly point to serious deficiencies in the legal and organisational framework for protecting workers from sexual harassment. Trade unions play a key role in shaping policies, prevention efforts, and supporting victims,” said Dijana Šobota from SSSH.
The study offers several recommendations for addressing the issue, including legal obligations for employers to take proactive measures, such as educating and informing workers about their rights; investigating reasons for the failure to report incidents and strengthening trust in formal procedures; incorporating measures against sexual harassment into collective agreements; and conducting training programmes within companies and educational institutions.
“Although violence occurs at the level of individuals or companies, its repercussions are felt throughout society. That’s why it’s crucial to address it as a community,” said study author Petra Rodik.
