Resources

The literature on the prevention of psychosocial risks (PSR) at work is extensive. Within this body, however, initiatives and tools specifically targeting sexual harassment and gender-based violence (GBV) at work represent only a small part. Indeed, these phenomena are still often lumped together with other PSRs. As a result, they are not systematically studied from a gender perspective, particularly by institutions responsible for occupational safety and health prevention and by external prevention services. The latter occupy the closed market for training in the prevention of PSR and occupational accidents. They offer employers a wide range of training courses and workshops, access to which is of course protected, as mentioned in the introduction.

However, the international #MeToo movement has made its mark. In the wake of the Weinstein affair, cases of sexual harassment in the workplace have rocked the media across Europe. The public authorities were led to strengthen legislation under pressure from civil society and female citizens1. The world of higher education and research has also been affected and many institutions have had to review their codes of conduct and protocols for dealing with students, teachers and researchers.

In addition, unions and other civil society organisations did not wait for #MeToo. Indeed, they have been carrying out actions for a long time: information and awareness campaigns, various initiatives and tools to fight against sexual harassment, GBV and more generally sexism in professional life. These actions are open to all and are characterised by a global approach to these phenomena. This approach is in line with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the Istanbul Convention and the recent Convention C1902.

Furthermore, the provision of multimedia tools to combat sexual harassment at work still seems to be timid at the moment in Europe3. The development of the webinars of the European ESHTE project/It Stops Now campaign should be highlighted. A few applications for smartphones and tablets have been developed to combat harassment at work, street harassment and cybersexism4 . Their approach is more specialised as they specifically target one aspect of the phenomenon.

In the light of the initiatives and tools identified in this report, it can be said that the MOOC Entreprise project responds to a gap in the supply of tools to combat sexual harassment at work. MOOC Entreprise offers a complete, open, free, dynamic course for tablets and smartphones, based on a gender analysis and a global approach to prevent and deal with this phenomenon. It will reach all those who do not receive adequate professional training on the management of these specific PSRs, or who currently receive gender-blind PSR training.

1 2017, the #MeToo year, also coincided with the first reports to GREVIO.
2 The C190 is not yet ratified by any UN member state.
3 It is mainly in the United States that applications have been developed to enable victims to report sexual harassment, such as #NotMe, Blind, Vault Platform, Spot, STOPit Solutions, WorkShield…
4For example: RespectMe, 365Raiponce, HandsAway, #JeSignale referenced on the http://stopausexisme.be/ platform.