{"id":3570,"date":"2016-04-20T12:24:09","date_gmt":"2016-04-20T02:24:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wiseworkplacetraining.com.au\/2021\/09\/11\/the-state-of-bullying-in-victoria\/"},"modified":"2021-09-11T12:24:17","modified_gmt":"2021-09-11T02:24:17","slug":"the-state-of-bullying-in-victoria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wiseworkplacetraining.com.au\/2016\/04\/20\/the-state-of-bullying-in-victoria\/","title":{"rendered":"The State of Bullying in Victoria"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"The<\/div>\n

There has been a deluge of reports coming out of Victoria in the last few months focusing on bullying and harassment.<\/p>\n

The hair-raising antics of former Geelong Mayor Darryn Lyons are detailed in the parliamentary inquiry report released last week. Lyons is reported to have threatened, bullied and displayed other unacceptable behaviours towards staff.<\/p>\n

He is not alone. Earlier in the month, the Auditor-General\u2019s report on Bullying and Harassment in the Victorian Health Sector<\/em> commented that the sector was unable to prevent or reduce inappropriate behaviour, including bullying and harassment. The report also found that key controls which could reduce the risk to employees were either \u201cinadequately implemented, missing or poorly coordinated.\u201d<\/p>\n

In December 2015, the Independent review into sex discrimination and sexual harassment including predatory behaviour in Victoria Police<\/em> report was released by the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC). This report found an entrenched culture of what it called \u2018everyday sexism\u2019 and a high tolerance for sexual harassment giving rise to significant costs for the organisation.<\/p>\n

What are the statistics?<\/h3>\n

According to the VEOHRC review, 40% of female employees had personally experienced sexual harassment in their lifetime (higher than the national average of 33%), and 20% had experienced sexual harassment in the police within the last five years.<\/p>\n

Across the Victorian public sector, survey results show 25% of health agency employees and 25% of female police officers have reported being victims of bullying. But interrogating the figures shows significant increases in reports in certain employment groups. A study in 2014 by Monash University into bullying found that 40% of nurses had experienced bullying or harassment within the previous 12 months.<\/p>\n

Similar figures were found in the Royal Australian College of Surgeons (RACS) report, with 39% of surgeons experiencing bullying, and 19% reporting having experienced harassment in the previous 12 months.<\/p>\n

One perpetrator, multiple victims<\/h3>\n

While the studies found entrenched cultures that permitted bullying and harassment through lack of effective action, it is likely that affirmative action would have a profound positive effect on staff welfare. The inquiry into Victoria Police found that 52% of those who reported being sexually harassed were aware that others were also victimised, and in 81% of cases it was by the same perpetrators.<\/p>\n

What the reports have in common<\/h3>\n

The studies found many similarities in the structural causes for the prevalence of inappropriate conduct. In particular, they all found there was:<\/p>\n