Sexual Harassment by Customers in Australia’s Retail Sector

Fresh off the press! Legal Light Bulbs’ principal consultant, Professor Patricia Easteal AM, is a co-author in a new article looking at issues that may arise for people who are sexually harassed by customers while working in retail.

Hannah Walker, Patricia Easteal, Allison Ballard, and Karen Blake (2019) ‘Lost in translation: Gaps between law and practice in customer-perpetrated sexual harassment,’ Alternative Law Journal DOI: 10.1177/1037969X18803211

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1037969X18803211

Abstract from, ‘Lost in translation: Gaps between law and practice in customer-perpetrated sexual harassment’

In this article, we build on existing research into sexual harassment in a retail environment by adding the perspectives of managers, employers, and lawyers to describe the major social and legal variables impeding disclosure and legal remedies in customer-perpetrated sexual harassment.

We identify that, if tested, employers may be legally responsible for sexual harassment perpetrated by customers if they have not proactively sought to minimise or prevent harm. We conclude customer-perpetrated sexual harassment needs to be urgently recognised as unacceptable conduct and urge employers to play a key role in combating this issue.

If you’d like to discuss this article, learn more about the laws and practices relating to sexual harassment in the Australian workplace, or hear about our services in the areas of sexual harassment research, workplace violence, access to justice, or how to hire sexual harassment speakers to educate your organisation, please feel free to get in touch with Legal Light Bulbs via our Contact page.