Angela Rayner MP, Shadow Education Secretary and Labour’s equalities spokesperson, commenting on the TUC and Everyday Sexism report on sexual harassment said:

“I am shocked to hear that in 2016, 52 per cent of women still experience sexual harassment in the workplace. There is nothing funny about one in three women being subjected to inappropriate jokes of a sexual nature when they simply trying to do their jobs.

“The law is clear, sexual harassment is discrimination and therefore illegal. Perpetrators must feel the full force of the law and it is shameful that the Government is failing to do so.

“These findings are shameful and I am calling on the Prime Minister to follow through on her pledge to make our society fairer. Employment tribunal fees have skyrocketed, making it practically impossible for victims to access justice. Victims deserve more than rhetoric and only Labour has the political will to tackle workplace discrimination.

“Companies have a responsibility to maintain a harassment-free environment, we support the report’s recommendation to reinstate Section 40 of the Equality Act 2010 that was shamefully abolished by the Tory Government. Employers have a duty of care to protect their workers from sexual harassment.”

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