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Survivor-Centered Approaches to Gender-Based Violence
Eighty-five percent of women have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace, a persistent trend especially prevalent in male-dominated industries. However, only seven percent of victims report the harassment showing a general distrust and a lack of confidence in traditional grievance handling and reporting processes.
Sexual harassment and other gender-based violence (GBV) reduce employee satisfaction, morale, and productivity. When sexual harassment occurs within a team, companies lose an estimated $22,500 in productivity per harassed individual.
However, companies that use survivor-centered approaches and create safe and violence-free workplaces perform better across several business metrics. These organizations achieve higher productivity, lower turnover, stronger company brand and reputation, and increased ability to attract and retain top talent.
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What is a Survivor-Centered Approach?
A survivor-centered approach facilitates a process in which a victim can become a survivor. It prioritizes the best interests and needs of the person who has experienced harm and returns power to the victim at every stage of the grievance management mechanism and process. It recognizes that a person can experience harm even if the offender did it unintentionally. It also recognizes that the impact of an action is more important than the intent of the person who acted.
Preventing and Addressing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Survivor-centered approaches, organizational policies, culture change, and male engagement strategies are critical for preventing and mitigating the impact of sexual harassment in the workplace.
Best Practices for Implementing a Survivor-Centered Approach
Use our Best Practices Framework tool to develop survivor-centered approaches at your company.
Engendering Industries Resources
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This guide supports organizations to use survivor-centered approaches in preventing and responding to workplace sexual harassment and other forms of gender-based violence (GBV).
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This case study shares lessons from Engendering Industries’ partner, Eko Electricity Distribution Company, in Nigeria.
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Discover how USAID’s Engendering Industries program supports companies worldwide to prevent and respond to workplace sexual harassment and other forms of GBV.
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Hayley Samu, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Principal, shares Engendering Industries best practices in using survivor-centered approaches to prevent and respond to workplace sexual harassment and other forms of GBV.
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Wola Joseph, Chief Legal Officer at Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), spoke to the Engendering Industries Partner Network about implementing survivor-centered approaches to workplace harassment.
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ISWSC has partnered with USAID’s Engendering Industries program since 2020 in order to advance gender equality in strategic areas across the organization.
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In recognition of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, Engendering Industries sat down with a group of three EDESUR employees to discuss the utility’s efforts to combat sexual harassment and gender-based violence in the workplace.
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