Sexual harassment at work

We define sexual harassment, legal protections against it in the workplace, and the impact it has on doctors and medical students.

What is sexual harassment?

Sexual harassment occurs when an individual engages in unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature. It has the purpose or effect of:

violating someone’s dignity or
creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive working environment for the individual concerned.

Sexual harassment is unlawful under the Equality Act 2010.

Conduct can still be considered sexual harassment even if the alleged harasser didn't intend for it to be. Sexual harassment can still occur even if the conduct is not directly targeted at the other person. For example, the display of pornography in a work environment or sexual comments about women may create a degrading, intimidating or hostile working environment for co-workers who see or overhear them.

When considering the effect of behaviour on someone, it is important to view things from their point of view. It is important to remember that it may be difficult, especially for a junior colleague, to speak up and challenge unwanted behaviour.

Sexual harassment can include:

Written or verbal comments of a sexual nature including remarks about an employee's appearance, questions about their sex life, offensive jokes;
Propositions, advances or making promises in return for sexual favours
Emails/social media messaging with content of a sexual nature
Displaying pornographic or explicit images
Unwanted physical contact and touching
Criminal behaviour, including sexual assault, stalking, indecent exposure and offensive communications

The impact of sexual harassment

Sexual harassment is a serious workplace issue which can have lasting effects on those who experience it. It is sometimes dismissed as being “banter”. But it is not a joke.

Sexual harassment often has the effect of making the recipient feel ashamed, humiliated, undermined and frightened and can have a lasting impact on mental health and careers. Women are more likely to experience sexual harassment than men. Women doctors who have experienced it report that it has undermined their confidence in themselves as professionals and negatively affected their careers.

Workplaces where a culture of sexual harassment is allowed to flourish are unattractive and intimidating for women. Such behaviour can act as a barrier to women entering male dominated areas of medicine. Sexual harassment may drive those experiencing it to switch specialties or even to leave medicine altogether.

How BMA can help you

The BMA is committed to addressing all forms of bullying and harassment in the medical profession. If you are a BMA member who is affected by sexual harassment at work, you can contact us at any time to talk through the issues.

For advice and information contact 0300 123 123 3 or email us.

Our 24/7 BMA Wellbeing support services are free and confidential and can be reached on 0330 123 1245. These services are always open to all doctors and medical students and their dependents regardless of BMA membership status.

Further resources

Bullying and harassment

The BMA offers resources aimed at raising awareness of bullying and harassment at local and national levels, seeking changes in employer practices and organisational cultures.

BMA guidance on bullying and harassment

BMJ e-learning module on Preventing bullying and harassment