Courts and legislatures all over the world, including the Industrial Court of Trinidad and Tobago, have recognized that sexual harassment compromises safety and equity in the workplace. Sexual harassment in the workplace also raises concerns about economic efficiency. Sexual harassment increases sickness, decreases productivity and increases job turnover for employers and costs taxpayers in national insurance disbursements for sick leave and unemployment.
Sexual harassment is a form of gender-based violence and a violation of the right to equality, life, liberty and security. In ratifying the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence Against Women Caribbean countries have made commitments to take legal and other measures to ensure that there is effective protection against sexual harassment. Every Caribbean country needs comprehensive legislation dealing with sexual harassment and other forms of discrimination.
Naming and clarifying
the prohibited conduct
Sexual harassment legislation will provide us with a definition of the prohibited conduct and give it a name with legal significance, immediately sending a signal that this is unacceptable conduct that we all have an interest in eradicating.
Many of us remember when domestic violence was dismissed as
