Women in Construction survey views: harrassment

Women’s experiences of and views about harrassment in construction:

"Working for a large international organisation, who “promotes diversity”, the things I have witnessed/experienced as a woman is terrible, from sexist comments, to drunken gropes, to senior director from across the water coming over to sexually harass a female colleague continually for years and nothing was done when it was reported. My experience of females working in construction has been quite bad but I feel the office I work in has probably the worst culture for this"

Anon

"Changing from an architectural company to a development company I have been exposed to the reality of what is considered a ‘mans world’. I feel excluded and undervalued and have not been given a single opportunity that my male colleagues have been offered despite being more qualified and believe my quality of work supercedes some of them. I do not understand this and do question whether it is because I declined sexual relations with management. I am currently seeking alternative work as […] trying to protect and prove myself I simply cannot handle the undue stress"

Anon

"Worked in senior management tier 1 until recently […] bully[ing] and harassment and boys’ locker room still is rampant, probably worse now that 20-30 years ago."

Anon

"I [would say that I] have not experienced or witnessed sexual harassment in the worklplace. But that may be because I have a higher tolerance to what may be workplace ‘banter’ - I have worked on sites for 30 years."

Anon

"We all know that harassment and bullying can be carried out by women as well as men, and i think its important to highlight to the whole industry that such behaviours are not tolerated coming from anyone."

Anon

"Sexual harassment or discrimination needs to be dealt with responsibly, and the sword falls both ways. Both men and women are responsible for their own interactions and working relationships with colleagues, customers and suppliers. I have been victim to sexual harassment on at least two occasions. Once I reported a man for cornering me and asking that I perform a sexual act on him. I reported him and he was told to never be alone with me….which made me feel like I was responsible. His actions were predatory and disgusting. He was never reprimanded. On another occasion a construction worker yelled sexual comments to me on site, he was immediately reprimanded by the site manager and as he was employed through a sub-contractor he was removed from the site. During my career in the finance departments for construction companies, I have enjoyed working in a male environment. The majority of men have been good colleagues, supportive, mentoring, and I consider them to be like brothers, cousins or uncles. It’s about reading the connection you have with someone and acting appropriately. If any of these men made a joke about my figure, or put an arm around my waist, I would take it as it was meant…friendly banter or friendly comfort."

Anon

"In terms of harassment, I have experienced this many times from one male technician who I work with but am under no doubt that any complaint against him would not be taken seriously and would harm my career rather than his. I have also been sexually harassed by contactors a handful of times, though I think most women would actually be surprised by how little harassment I have received from construction workers in general. Apart from the previously mentioned technician who I work with, the vast majority of sexual discrimination and harassment towards me while working, has been from clients and random members of the public."

Anon

"Working for my previous employer (contractor) I complained about discrimination that I had experienced and harassment of a junior woman that I had witnessed on site. I was subsequently made redundant and only after a drawn out ACAS mediation was paid my redundancy and has to sign a ‘gagging’ agreement. I agreed to this this as I was struggling financially and concerned that my previous employer was hindering my ability to find another job by refusing to provide a reference and discrediting my reputation."

Anon

"Only a few years ago, my manager actually laughed when I went to him about harassment I was experiencing. Why did he find it funny? Because so many other women had complained about the same individual, who was eventually dismissed, but only after a female manager became involved."

Anon

"Too many examples of sexual harassment, discrimination, side-lining, work appropriation and dismissal of ideas to mention individually. Everything from being groped in open plan offices in front of other staff; being asked whether I was pregnant because a promotion I was being offered would be withdrawn if the answer was yes; not having my technical knowledge, expertise and experience taken seriously; being ridiculed for not drinking as much as others on social occasions"

Anon

"I have experienced sexual harassment within the industry and interestingly this was isolated to the largest company I worked at (a national contractor) who had by far the best HR policies and processes in place than any company I have worked with before or since. The ‘offenders’ were older men of a certain generation with a certain view of the industry, who I hope are now dying out!"

Anon

 

Men’s experiences of and views about harrassment in construction:

"I have never seen an instance of sexual harassment or discrimination, but plenty of ‘positive’ discrimination that attempts to raise the numbers of women working in the sector, but without a cogent and fully supportable argument as to why. At what point do professional institutions et al stop seeking to compel people, in respect of their own private choices?"

Anon

"[My experiences of harassment relates to being] a - perceived - member of the upper-class and of having been educated at a well-known English public school. In the construction industry it appears entirely acceptable to constantly ridicule and disparage people from such a background. I know of many others who have experienced the same. People such as me appear to be the last group of people in the industry whom it is entirely acceptable to harass, belittle and demean and for those behaviours to be seen as both institutionally acceptable and amusing."

Anon