Non-governmental organizations (NGO) on Thursday urged the government to amend existing laws to better integrate resources available to victims of workplace sexual harassment.
The NGOs stated that many victims have to access the services they need one by one, despite the Gender Equality in Employment Act (性別平等工作法) saying local authorities “should integrate relevant resources.”
Garden of Hope Foundation deputy CEO Wang Shu-fen (王淑芬) said the group received 1,063 phone calls last year from victims asking for help to access the resources they needed.
Photo: CNA
Many victims had to repeat their story to each resource provider, which aggravates their trauma, she said.
Some local government officials said that workplace sexual harassment prevention programs were still not in place and would not be available until April, Wang said.
This shows that many victims and employers do not understand what rights they have and what to apply for, she added.
Modern Women’s Foundation executive secretary Wu Tzu-ying (吳姿瑩) said that 60 percent of sexual harassment cases handled by the Ministry of Labor from January to June last year were not immediately addressed.
Some cases were dismissed as “misunderstandings,” with employers attempting to settle the matter in private, which contravenes the law and can result in a fine, Wu said.
Modern Women’s Foundation board member Wang Ju-hsuan (王如玄) said that there is a vast underreporting issue, with a hundredfold gap between estimated workplace harassment cases and reported incidents.
Garden of Hope Foundation CEO Wang Yue-hao (王玥好) said businesses struggle to find suitable professionals, despite the ministry database listing more than 1,600 workplace harassment investigators.
Training is also minimal, with only a few days of coursework and a single investigative assignment, she said.
The NGOs plan to submit proposed amendments to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Ministry of Labor by the end of March. If no action is taken, they would introduce their own proposals in April or May, Wu said.
In response, the labor ministry said it has funded local governments, hired 51 inspectors and provided training to strengthen their investigative skills.
Local authorities could seek expert assistance and apply for subsidies from the central government, the labor ministry said.
It has also reviewed available victim support services, including counseling, medical care and legal aid, and a system is in place to train or remove underqualified investigators, the ministry said.
Following legal amendments in March last year, the labor ministry has collaborated with women’s and legal groups to develop training programs, and is now offering 1,611 professionals to assist businesses and local governments with sexual harassment investigations, the ministry said.
It has also released a workplace harassment prevention handbook and posted relevant regulations online, it said.
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