Unions called on the government on Monday to provide more resources to combat violence against women, particularly in professional fields, where violence is “massive”, they warned. “Violence against women in the workplace is enormous” and “affects women in all professions, in the private and public sectors and in all socio-professional categories”, stated in this joint press release of CFDT, CGT, FO, CFE-CGC, Unsa, Solidaires and FSU, ahead of November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence.
“9% of rapes or attempted rapes occur at work, 30% of employees have experienced sexual harassment or assault in their workplace and 70% of victims of workplace violence say they have never spoken to their employer about it,” they list. “For those who speak out, the punishment is often double: 40% believe the situation has been resolved to their detriment, through forced mobility or even dismissal,” the union added.
“The fight against violence against women involves implementing a comprehensive inter-ministerial plan supported by efforts to prevent and rigorously address sexual and gender-based violence,” their press release underscored, calling for health, justice, policing and education to be provided “with budgets commensurate with the challenges posed by eradicating this violence.”
Barometers and sanctions
The union pointed to the current budget as “too low, poorly distributed and imperfectly evaluated”. In the field of work, “it is very important to take new measures in terms of prevention, liability and sanctions”, they believe.
In particular, they demand the establishment of an “annual barometer under the auspices of the High Council of Equality to assess workers’ feelings towards gender-based and sexual violence in the workplace”, the establishment of “preventive sanctions” for companies and companies that do not have plans to prevent this violence and the obligation to train human resources staff, supervisors and elected representatives on staff representative bodies.
They also recommended implementing Emotional, Relational and Sexual Life Education programs “everywhere and without delay” in schools and institutions, “with the recruitment of medico-social staff to meet needs”.
