Table 1
Inappropriate sexualized or discriminatory behaviours witnessed or experienced in the workplace in the past 12 months, by gender and types of behaviour, 2020


Table 1
Inappropriate sexualized or discriminatory behaviours witnessed or experienced in the workplace in the past 12 months, by gender and types of behaviour, 2020
Table summary
This table displays the results of Inappropriate sexualized or discriminatory behaviours witnessed or experienced in the workplace in the past 12 months. The information is grouped by Type of behaviour witnessed or experienced (appearing as row headers), Women, Men, Total, percent and 95% confidence interval, calculated using from and to units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Type of behaviour witnessed or experienced WomenTable 1 Note † Men TotalTable 1 Note 1
percent 95% confidence interval percent 95% confidence interval percent 95% confidence interval
from to from to from to
Total inappropriate sexualized or discriminatory behaviours 48 46 50 47 45 49 47 46 49
Total inappropriate sexualized behaviours 44 42 46 44 42 46 44 43 46
Inappropriate verbal or non-verbal communication 42 40 44 43 41 45 43 41 44
Sexual jokes 36 35 38 39 37 41 38 37 39
Unwanted sexual attention 16 15 18 8Note * 7 9 12 11 13
Inappropriate sexual comments 22 21 24 19Note * 17 21 21 19 22
Inappropriate discussion about sex life 19 18 21 15Note * 14 17 17 16 18
Sexually explicit materials 5 5 6 7Note * 7 9 7 6 7
Displaying, showing, or sending sexually explicit messages or materials 5 4 6 7Note * 6 8 6 6 7
Taking or posting inappropriate or sexually suggestive photos or videos of any co-worker without consent 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Physical contact or suggested sexual relations 17 15 18 9Note * 7 10 12 12 13
Indecent exposure or inappropriate display of body parts 3 2 3 2 1 3 2 2 3
Repeated pressure from the same person for dates or sexual relations 5 4 6 3Note * 2 4 4 3 4
Unwelcome physical contact or getting too close 14 13 16 7Note * 6 8 10 10 11
Offering workplace benefits for engaging in sexual activity or being mistreated for not engaging in sexual activity 1 1 2 1 0 2 1 1 2
Total discriminatory behaviours 25 23 27 19Note * 17 21 22 21 23
Discrimination on the basis of gender 24 23 26 18Note * 17 20 21 20 22
Suggestions that a man does not act like a man is supposed to act 11 9 12 10 9 11 10 9 11
Suggestions that a woman does not act like a woman is supposed to act 13 11 14 7Note * 6 8 10 9 11
Someone being insulted, mistreated, ignored, or excluded because they are a man 3 3 4 5Note * 4 6 4 3 5
Someone being insulted, mistreated, ignored, or excluded because they are a woman 14 13 15 5Note * 4 6 9 9 10
Comments that people are either not good at a particular job or should be prevented from having a particular job because they are a man 5 4 6 4 3 6 5 4 6
Comments that people are either not good at a particular job or should be prevented from having a particular job because they are a woman 13 12 14 7Note * 6 9 10 9 11
Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity 7 6 8 4Note * 3 5 5 5 6
Someone being insulted, mistreated, ignored, or excluded because of their sexual orientation or assumed sexual orientation 6 5 7 3Note * 3 4 5 4 5
Someone being insulted, mistreated, ignored, or excluded because they are, or are assumed to be, transgender 3 2 4 2 2 3 3 2 3
Note *

significantly different from reference category (p < 0.05)

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Note †

reference category

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Note 1

Includes trans and cisgender women and men, as well as individuals identifying with no gender or multiple genders, as well as those who did not provide an answer to questions about gender.

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Note: Includes those who witnessed (saw or heard) or experienced (targeted, directed at them personally) sexualized or discriminatory behaviours in the past 12 months. Includes behaviours which occurred in the workplace and outside the workplace involving coworkers. Excludes behaviours that respondents heard about from someone else (e.g., something that a friend confided in them). The terms "women" and "men" include trans and cisgender women and men. Percent calculations are based on unrounded estimates and exclude missing responses.
Source: Statistics Canada, Survey on Sexual Misconduct at Work.
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