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Unions NSW

Sexual harassment of migrant women revealed in damning report

Unions NSW

A new report exposes the alarming prevalence of sexual harassment of migrant women on temporary visas in Australian workplaces, highlighting a culture of widespread silence and fear.

The survey of more than 3,000 migrant women across multiple industries found more than half have experienced workplace sexual harassment. 

The highest rate was in the construction industry where more than four in five (82%) respondents reported workplace sexual harassment. This was followed by 53% in the horticulture industry, 51% in hospitality, 50% in retail and 41% in the cleaning industry.

“Migrants come to Australia to seek opportunity but are instead confronted by horrific workplace exploitation,” Unions NSW Secretary Mark Morey said. “Migrant women are facing sexually suggestive comments, intrusive questions, unwelcome touching and inappropriate physical contact. This is reprehensible. It has to stop.”

The survey found women on temporary visas don’t think their employers are doing enough to protect them from sexual harassment, with a significant number quitting their job because they felt in danger. A large number of women reported facing additional issues when they attempted to defend themselves, including being fired, forced into resigning, having shifts cut and threats of deportation.

A shocking 75% of respondents didn’t report sexual harassment. Seven in ten (67%) cleaning workers indicated concerns about their visa status, followed by 64% in construction, 60% in retail, 58% in horticulture and 51% in hospitality. Meanwhile, 50% of the respondents were concerned that reporting sexual harassment could result in losing their job.

Unions NSW also interviewed 80 migrant women who gave compelling accounts of the sexual harassment they endured while at work. A 19-year-old international student spoke of the harrowing moment her restaurant manager drove her to a secluded location and propositioned her for sex in exchange for more shifts, prompting the teenager to jump out of the car and flee.

Another woman spoke of a cleaning job she found online, before her employer appeared before her wearing only a small towel which he let fall to the ground. Fearing she could be raped and beaten, the woman ran for the front door and fled the house.

Unions NSW is calling for significant reforms to protect migrant women, including:

  • Establish migrant worker centres to support women with legal support and encourage them to report harassment

  • Education and training to address cultural misunderstandings and raise awareness of behaviours that constitute sexual harassment

  • Remove visa conditions that make workers vulnerable, including the 88-day farm work requirement 

  • Fund better employment pathways and training programs

  • Regular assessment of the Workplace Justice visa and Strengthening Reporting Protections pilot to ensure they are effectively assisting in reducing the power imbalance that exists between migrant women and perpetrators

“The findings have revealed an unacceptable reality for migrant women who work in some of Australia’s most essential yet vulnerable industries,” Mr Morey said.

“They are enduring sexual harassment in silence, feeling pressured to choose between their dignity and their livelihoods. Unions NSW is pushing the government to take urgent steps to implement policy changes that ensure safety, respect and fair treatment for every worker, regardless of their visa status.”

The report is being launched by Federal Minister for the Environment Tanya Plibersek and NSW Minister for Women Jodie Harrison.

Key findings:

  • Over 51% of migrant women reported experiencing sexual harassment at work. 

  • Incidents are most frequent in construction (82%), horticulture (53%), hospitality (51%), retail (50%), and cleaning (41%).

  • 75% of women did not report their harassment experiences, primarily due to fear of job loss, negative impacts on visa status, and employer retaliation.

  • 48% of women in construction and horticulture left the job after being sexually harassed because they felt unsafe, while 42% of cleaners left a job, 41% of hospitality workers left a job, and 33% of retail workers left a job.

  • The most common types of sexual harassment experienced by migrant women were sexually suggestive comments or jokes (52%), followed by intrusive questions about private life or physical appearance (42%), repeated or inappropriate invitations to go on dates (28%), unwelcome touching, hugging, kissing, or invasion of space (23%), inappropriate staring or leering (24%), and inappropriate physical contact (20%).

  • Across industries, significant percentages of workers feared visa implications if they reported harassment (e.g., 67% in cleaning, 64% in construction, 60% in retail).


Contact details:

Lauren Ferri 0422 581 506