UNIONISTS and feminists yesterday called for better protection for female workers, following survey findings that nine out of 10 women claim to have been sexually harassed in the workplace.
The problem was most serious for people working in old people's homes, department stores, hotels and restaurants. Apart from employers and colleagues they also had to face another type of attacker - the client.
The Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions last month interviewed 434 women in industries including garments, electronics, marketing, hotels, health care, education, social services and the civil service.
Results showed that 86 per cent of the interviewees said they had been sexually harassed at work in the past two years.
Health care workers were the worst victims. Of the 39 interviewees, 95 per cent said they had been sexually harassed. They were followed by saleswomen and hotel workers, where 92 per cent claimed to have been victims.
The harassment included being told dirty jokes (46 per cent), obscene anonymous phone calls (40 per cent) and unnecessary body touching or holding (35 per cent).