Alarm Over How Much Workplace Sexual Harassment Goes Unreported Despite Legal Reforms

Introduction
Fresh research has raised serious concerns about how much sexual harassment in Australian workplaces continues to go unreported, despite recent legal reforms aimed at improving safety and accountability. Two new studies suggest that beyond fear of retaliation, many workers remain silent because they do not trust reporting systems to protect or support them.

Findings From New Research
The studies, conducted by Flinders University, found that only around one in five people who experience sexual harassment at work go on to formally report it.

Lead author Dr Annabelle Neall, senior lecturer in mental health and wellbeing and director of the Flinders Workplace Wellbeing Lab, said the decision not to report was often shaped by deep psychological and emotional considerations.

“The decision not to report wasn’t just about external risks like losing a job,” Dr Neall said.
“People weighed up whether reporting would make things better or worse, and often concluded it wasn’t worth the emotional toll, the reputational risk, or the likelihood that nothing would change.”

Why Workers Stay Silent
The research identified three key psychological needs that strongly influence whether a person feels able to report harassment:

• Autonomy — feeling in control of decisions
• Competence — feeling capable of navigating the process
• Relatedness — feeling respected and supported

When these needs are undermined by unclear reporting processes, fear of backlash or a lack of trust in workplace systems, workers are far less likely to speak up.

Co-author Professor Lydia Woodyatt said many victims and witnesses felt trapped between protecting themselves and raising concerns.

“If people believe the system won’t provide them justice or protect them, they stay silent,” she said.
“That silence isn’t about indifference — it’s about survival.”

Cultural and Systemic Barriers
Participants in the studies reported feeling uncertain about whether their experiences even “counted” as harassment, alongside fears of career damage or being labelled a troublemaker.

Others described reporting processes as burdensome and emotionally punishing, offering little reassurance or follow-through.

One study, which reviewed decades of workplace sexual harassment reporting frameworks, found that while laws and policies have evolved since the 1980s, reporting systems themselves have remained largely ineffective.

“For decades, organisations have focused on legal compliance and punitive measures,” Dr Neall said.
“But these approaches often fail to address the cultural and psychological barriers that keep people silent.”

Calls for Change
Both studies argue for a shift away from purely punitive responses towards trauma-informed and transformative justice approaches.

Researchers found many participants were not seeking punishment or revenge, but reassurance that harassment would not continue.

“People told us they didn’t want revenge — they wanted assurance it wouldn’t happen again,” Dr Neall said.
“Reporting should feel like a step toward positive change, not a risk to your wellbeing.”

Conclusion
The findings highlight a significant gap between legislative reform and lived workplace experience. While stronger laws exist on paper, researchers warn that without trustworthy systems and supportive cultures, many workers will continue to endure harassment in silence. The studies suggest meaningful change will require organisations to move beyond compliance and actively build environments where speaking up feels safe, supported and worthwhile.