What challenges does themeetings and events sector face in relation to sexual harassment? “It needs to be cle rl def ned bout how to h ndle s tu t ons of ph s c l sexu l h rr ssment nd verb l sm ll t l / n ppropr te comments” Fem le, 31-40 “We need to m e events s fe nd eno ble for ever one, nd th s me ns follow n le l nd eth c l ch nnels Just l e other forms of v olence, th s h s to be m de un ccept ble n ll cond t ons nd s tu t ons” Fem le, 41-50 “Ops te ms re l rel fem le, contr ctors re predom n ntl m le nd unsoc ble hours c n be ch llen n If there s code of conduct/zero toler nce th t ll or n sers c n comm t to then th s m ht o some w to mprov n th ns Ever one should feel ble nd comfort ble to c ll th s beh v our out” Fem le, 41-50 “Alcohol, lon d s nd close wor n often le d to n ppropr te beh v our Ever one nvolved n meet ns nd events nclud n ttendees needs to now th t th s s not ccept ble nd w ll not be toler ted” Fem le, 60+
to sexual harassment. “ e burden of proof is on the victim, so many people know that nothing will happen if they bring the incident forward,” she added. Almost three quarters (73 per cent) of respondents were aware of incidents of sexual harassment having taken place in the meetings and events sector, with just 27 per cent unaware of any incidents in the sector. Of the people who were aware of incidents having taken place,
their job altogether. “People are too afraid to speak up out of fear they will not be believed and the harm it could do to their careers,” said one female respondent, aged 18-30. “We don’t have a culture of calling out this behaviour when we witness it, therefore, the victim o en feels alone in a situation.” Certainly, the data seems to show that the problem is around event professionals
having the con dence to report sexual harassment to their employer, rather than the lack of means by which to do so. Six out of 10 respondents said that their employer has a formal policy in place for dealing
more than a third (36 per cent) said that the incident was le unchallenged due to the perpetrator’s seniority, while one quarter said the incident was le unchallenged due to the perpetrator’s reputation. “It’s part of the boy’s club mentality where a man’s reputation is valued more
Aman’s reputation is valuedmore highly than a woman’s safety
with allegations of sexual harassment. Around one in ve (21 per cent) said they didn’t know, and slightly fewer (19 per cent) said that their employer had no such policy in place. Interestingly, a large majority (72 per cent) said that they felt con dent that their organisation would handle a complaint of sexual harassment appropriately if someone were to report it. One woman, aged 31-40, said that a “he says, she says mentality” exists in relation
highly than a woman’s safety,” concluded one woman, aged 41-50. “I also think the industry’s relationship with alcohol creates more situations where harassment is likely to occur. “Many events and employers lack speci c protocols to deal with an incident. When something is reported, people don’t know what to do, so o en do nothing.”
■ D t collected onl ne from 112 eventprof respondents from U nd Europe n M rch nd Apr l 2022”
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