SafeWork NSW is hosting a summit focused on addressing sexual harassment as a workplace health and safety risk across the health care and social assistance (HCSA) and the retail and hospitality sectors.
Sexual harassment is a significant challenge across all sectors, yet many businesses lack the ability to proactively identify and prevent the risks from occuring.
In 2025, SafeWork NSW received 278 requests for service and seven reports of workplace incidents relating to sexual harassment.
46% of those requests for service were received within the HCSA and hospitality and retail sectors.
Workplace sexual harassment within these sectors can be driven by factors including high customer interaction, vulnerable worker cohorts and complex reporting environments.
These factors increase the risk of psychosocial harm to workers and can present challenges to businesses who are required to proactively prevent them under work health and safety laws in New South Wales.
SafeWork NSW recognises that each sector has unique considerations for preventing workplace sexual harassment, noting that business responses often focus only on individual behaviour and overlook broader issues such as workplace culture, job design and environmental factors like isolated work areas.
To address these concerns, SafeWork NSW will bring together a diverse mix of attendees, including workers, employers, management, senior leadership, and union representatives at the Partnering for Prevention - Industry Sexual Harassment Summit.
Participants will gather at the Summit over two days to explore the unique challenges facing different sectors and will work to collaboratively develop practical solutions for preventing workplace sexual harassment.
The Partnering for Prevention - Industry Sexual Harassment Summit will be held from 10am-4pm on Tuesday 23 June for the HCSA sector and from 10am-4pm on Wednesday 24 June for the retail and hospitaliy sectors at Dubbo Memorial Club, Level 1, 178 Brisbane Street, Dubbo.
SafeWork NSW is encouraging stakeholders from the HCSA retail and hospitality industries to register to attend the event to be leaders of change.
Interested participants can register by visiting: Partnering for Prevention: Industry sexual harassment summit.
SafeWork Commissioner Janet Schorer said:
"Despite one in three workers experiencing workplace sexual harassment, it continues to be under reported across all industries.
"The Partnering For Prevention - Industry Sexual Harassment Summit is a fantastic opportunity to hear the latest research and work together to develop practical solutions to preventing and reducing workplace sexual harassment.
"By participating, you will have the opportunity to contribute to shaping practical, effective work health and safety solutions and help influence how these outcomes are implemented across industry."
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