KUCHING: The Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill passed in Parliament Dewan Rakyat is seen as a first step in acknowledging the pervasiveness of the problem of sexual harassment in the country.
It is also a deterrent against inappropriate behaviour.
Sarawak Women and Family Council committee member Prof Dr Ida Fatimawati Adi Badiozaman said with the bill in place, it can identify behaviours that would constitute harassment, and provide employees an avenue to report harassment and raise awareness that such a practice will not be tolerated.
“This bill is important because the negative consequences of harassment can be long-lasting and severe.
“Those who experience sexual harassment in any work environment can suffer chronic health problems, post-traumatic stress, depression, substance abuse, employment difficulties, and relationship problems,” she told New Sarawak Tribune today.
Dr Ida, who is also the Executive Dean of Research of Swinburne University of Technology, Sarawak Campus, said sexual harassment is something that just happens because of fleeting circumstance or desire.
“It is driven in all sectors by imbalances in power. No sector remains untouched by sexual harassment, nor unaffected by its impacts.
“Sexual harassment damages the lives, health, prospects, financial independence, and opportunities of its victims, and costs businesses not only legal fees, but lost productivity, morale, effectiveness, and talent.
“Tolerating or failing to adequately respond to sexual harassment can block women’s economic security, access to opportunity, and advancement,” she said.
Dr Ida said solutions to harassment must be targeted and aimed at changing culture, systems and structures.
“Preventing and effectively addressing sexual harassment is a significant challenge. A systemwide change to the culture and climate in our country can stop the pattern of harassing behaviour from impacting the next generation of women and men,” she said.
She also said that changing the current culture and climate requires addressing all forms of sexual harassment, not just the most egregious cases, moving beyond legal compliance, improving transparency and accountability, and revising organisational systems and structures to value diversity, inclusion, and respect.
