If you’ve ever worked in retail you’d be familiar with the age old phrase: “the customer is always right.” Sadly – the customer is a huge part of the problem when it comes to the staggering number of young female retail workers being sexually harassed on a daily basis.
According to a survey of more than 3,000 union members by the Australian Human Rights Commission, young workers in the retail and fast food industries are far more likely to be sexually harassed than those in other sectors. The largest group of offenders? Customers.
The survey found that female retail workers under 30 years old were the most likely to be harassed, making up a whopping 46% of all victims. Some of the survey respondents experiencing workplace harassment were as young as 15 years old.
Survey respondents reported that “customers have threatened to rape me in the car park,” have asked “what condoms I use with my boyfriend” and one had “his hands down his pants whilst looking at me down the aisle.”
These are extreme examples of harassment, but the Human Rights Commission said it can and has included everything from suggestive comments or jokes, to intrusive questions, leering, unwelcome touching, being followed and repeated invitations for dates. Most survey respondents reported that this kind of harassment occurs directly outside an employee’s work station – near a cash register or food preparation area.
Apparently, most of these incidents go unreported and retail workers have even gone as far as swapping name tags with co-workers to avoid being identified by their harassers.
Sexual Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins told the ABC that young people today are living in a world where gender inequality and sexism exists. “It really calls out retail and fast food outlets to start looking at the behaviour of customers and [to] make sure the young workers know that they can speak up.”
The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association is looking at ways they reform trespass laws to ban problem customers and provide co-workers with more training and education. However, it highlights a deeper issue within our society and culture.
The survey also found that when retailers had a “suggestive” ad campaign, it led to one in five of their workers being sexually harassed. Why do people think it’s okay to harass innocent, young retail workers just because of the advertising they’re seeing? Why do people think it’s okay to harass anyone at all?
There are a lot of unanswered questions that arise from this survey, but at least it’s opening up a conversation about toxic behaviour and sexual harassment of young, female retail workers in Australia.
If you, or anyone you know is experiencing sexual harassment, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or 1800 RESPECT for support services.