Unveiling Shame: A Tell of Workplace Sexual Harassment in Kenya Report

About the report 📖;

Unveiling Shame: A tell of workplace sexual harassment in Kenya

Workplace Sexual harassment has been and continues to be an important aspect of managing the employee – employer relationship the world over. In recent years, this has featured as a key area to be addressed as diversity, equity and inclusion gains prominence as a factor for millennials and Gen Z who are now dominating the workforce.

With a keen interest to probe workplace sexual harassment in Kenya, KHC commissioned a survey seeking to assess;

• The prevalence of sexual harassment in Kenya
• Reporting and investigative procedures when sexual harassment is reported
• Existing safeguards employers have put in place to address sexual Harassment in Kenya.

The survey targeted a diverse range of Kenyan workplaces including public, private and non-profit sectors, in all the 47 counties.

It is in this backdrop that Knightwise Human Capital (KHC) commissioned a survey seeking to find out how employers are dealing with workplace sexual harassment in Kenya.

The survey had 415 respondents. This report highlights the following key insights.

A Kenyan worker will experience at least 4 sexual harassment incidents in the workplace, and this was more prevalent with workers who have been in employment for less than 3 years.

• 🗣️Verbal harassment was reported as the most prevalent form of workplace sexual harassment experienced by both male and female but male respondents experience it more at 69%.
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• 💼 Seniors (persons in authority) within the organization were recorded as the highest perpetrators of workplace sexual harassment at 57% by those surveyed. And, in terms of harassment from seniors (persons in authority), men report a slightly higher rate at 64%, compared to 55% reported by women.
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• 👩 Female colleagues experience higher incidents of sexual harassment from their work colleagues, accounting for 42% of reported incidents. While only 21% of male counterparts have reported experiencing sexual harassment from their colleagues.
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• 🫣 86% of the respondents did not report the workplace sexual harassment they experienced to their employer with the primary deterrent being the fear of victim-shaming, cited by 41% of participants.
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• 🔊 55% of organizations represented by the respondents did not have whistleblower mechanisms.
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• 🕵‍♀️🕵 72% of reported cases were not investigated procedurally and fairly while those that were investigated took less than 7 days to be investigated. For those whose cases were investigated, 76% felt that the investigating party had a conflict of interest.
• Of the organizations represented by the respondents, 64% had a sexual harassment policy in place and of this, with 82% of these having the custodian of the policy clearly outlined.

For the organizations represented in the survey, 76% had not executed a sexual harassment training in the last one year.

The findings of this report point to a need for organizations to adopt a preventative approach to prevent workplace sexual harassment. These include but are not limited to,

1. Having training to inform employees of unacceptable conduct in the workplace
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3. Having a whistleblower mechanisms to support better reporting of sexual harassment experienced.

Are you looking for sexual harassment interventions?

Our services include;

1. Dedicated investigations
2. Anti -Harassment training
3. Whistleblower platform (Dedicated to sexual harassment)

Get the full report: 🔗

Contact us

Email: info@khcafrica.com

Knightwise Human Capital Ltd

Website: https://khcafrica.com/

#WorkplaceHarassment #SexualHarassment
#WorkplaceSafety #GenderEquality
#WomenEmpowerment #Kenya
#EmployeeRights #WorkplaceCulture