The Hidden Barriers to Ethical Bystander Action in the Workplace
Unions NSW
November 2025
“Until we stop pretending this is just about bad apples, nothing will change.”
This report draws on a survey conducted by Unions NSW between October-November 2025 to examine how workers understand, interpret, and act on incidents of sexual and gender-based harassment.
The findings highlight both barriers to and opportunities for ethical bystander action, offering evidence-informed recommendations to support cultural change in workplaces across Australia.
The survey provides vital information for government, business and employer groups, unions, legal assistance services, and academics on the scale of workplace sexual harassment and the need for response and prevention initiatives.
Key Findings
The survey results indicate that sexual and gender-based harassment is both common and persistent across Australian workplaces.
Across the total sample of 940 respondents, a clear majority, 484 workers, reported witnessing sexual or gender-based harassment, with more than half observing such behaviour several times per year.
Most perpetrators were identified as men (85%), while women were overwhelmingly the primary targets (84%).
Additionally, 296 respondents explicitly stated that sexual harassment is a problem in their workplace, underscoring ongoing cultural normalisation and systemic inaction.
These findings reveal high exposure to inappropriate conduct, significant barriers to ethical bystander intervention, and substantial gaps in employer prevention, training, and accountability.
Content warning: This report contains information about sexual harassment.
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