Report finds fewer workers in Utah experiencing sexual harassment

LOGAN – An update from the Utah Women and Leadership Project looks at sexual harassment complaints across the state and concludes that there are fewer reports of sexual harassment in Utah.

“In Utah, the number of sexual harassment reports has declined over the past two years, with only 0.6% of the population reporting such reports to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,” the authors conclude.

On average, there are three to four reports of sexual harassment per 100,000 residents in Utah, the report says.

Good news, but problems remain for women in Utah

The report also highlights persistent problem areas, including employees who continue to work for an employer despite sexual harassment.

Susan Madsen, founding director of the Utah Women and Leadership Project, said lower-income or service-sector workers are more likely to stay in jobs where sexual harassment occurs.

For many of these workers, job security is more important than their comfort at work, says Madsen, and they cannot afford to give up their jobs.

Another reason employees stay in work situations where they are sexually harassed is fear of retaliation.

“These are people who need their jobs. They use their salaries to feed their children,” Madsen said. “They don’t have the luxury of simply quitting, as some would say.”

According to Madsen, 70% of people in Utah do not report incidents of workplace harassment for fear of retaliation.

The people most at risk

According to the report, dark-skinned women are more likely to be victims of sexual harassment. Age is another risk factor. Young people often work in situations where there is no supervisor and often do not know how and to whom to report sexual harassment.

The study concludes that social media use among adolescents can also lead to a higher risk of sexual harassment.

The researchers conclude that Utah leaders and companies should focus on developing ethical leadership skills, bystander intervention training, and developing programs to create a healthy work environment.