The International Labor Organization (ILO) conducted a worldwide survey to visualize experiences of occupational violence and harassment, marking the first effort to provide a global perspective on this phenomenon in the workplace. The results revealed that the prevalence of occupational violence and harassment is more frequent than commonly believed.
It is crucial to take into account the intrinsic difficulty in measuring violence and harassment in the workplace. The survey highlighted that only about half of victims globally shared their experiences with others, and this was most often when they had been victims of multiple forms of violence and harassment. The reasons behind this silence include the perception of “loss of time due to lack of follow-up” and “fear of damaging their reputation,” with women being more likely to share their experiences compared to men (60.7% vs. 50.1%).
Despite these barriers, more than 20% of employees were identified as having experienced at least one form of workplace violence or harassment at some point in their careers.
Talking about personal experiences of occupational violence and harassment is complex. Slightly more than half of the victims have shared their experiences with someone, and this dialogue is usually opened after having suffered more than one form of violence and harassment. However, the visibility of this issue is essential in order to prevent and eradicate any form of violence or harassment in the workplace.
According to data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), 109 thousand resignations were attributed to workplace harassment in Mexico in 2022, and a significant increase is projected for the end of 2023. This shows that occupational harassment is a constant reality in Mexico.
It is important to note that this figure represents 3.4% of all resignations registered in the country. However, in Mexico City and the State of Aguascalientes, occupational discrimination or “mobbing” has a prevalence of 7.8% and 6.3%, respectively, in other words, double the national average.
In view of this situation, it is imperative to implement internal mechanisms in the workplace to provide adequate attention to cases of violence and harassment in the workplace. Article 132, section XXXI of the Federal Labor Law establishes the obligation to implement a protocol to prevent gender-based discrimination and to address cases of violence, harassment or sexual harassment. This protocol seeks to establish guidelines for handling complaints of violence or harassment in the workplace, promotional measures to prevent such situations and the penalties applicable in the event that the existence of harassment or violence in the workplace is confirmed.
In view of the above, in case you require support to implement measures and protocols to prevent discrimination based on gender and to address cases of violence, harassment, or sexual harassment, the team of the Labor Area of Vega, Guerrero & Asociados is at your disposal.
