Accusations of Sexual Harrassment are Rampant at the United Nations
According to an online survey conducted by auditing and consulting firm Deloitte, at least one-third of employees at the United Nations have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace.
Both men and women cited sexual references and offensive remarks about physical appearances as the most frequent offenses. Approximately 40% of women and 20% of men reported harassment.
Of the participants, 14.2% claimed they were subjected to sexual stories or offensive jokes and 10% claimed to have been touched in a manner that made them feel uncomfortable.
Two out of three harassers were reported as male.
Over 30,000 people from the UN and its agencies participated in the survey, but that figure represents only 17% of those eligible.
Carney Shegerian, founder of Los Angeles-based employee rights firm Shegerian & Associates, has weighed in on the survey.
“The widespread sexual harassment reported at the UN is indicative of a larger problem in the workforce,” says Shegerian. “Even more concerning is that a small fraction of the eligible employees participated in the survey, demonstrating the fear that many have of reporting harassment in the workplace.”
Shegerian & Associates has won clients over $200 million in employment-based disputes and maintains a 98% success rate. We have offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside and New York.
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