Workplace Sexual Harrasment | Page 2

person, and provide them with documentation
of the incidents. If your company has a union, find out if
there is a women’s committee that deals with the issue and
seek support from them.

Keep copies of all documents you submit and/or
receive. You may contact the Ontario Human Rights
Commission within six months of the last
incident of sexual harassment and file a written
complaint. Ask for a written response to your
complaint. This can be a lengthy process.
Remember that whatever decision you make,
seek support from others.
Remember that you are not alone. Call your
nearest Sexual Assault/Rape Crisis or Sexual
Assault Treatment/Care Centre for information
and support.
WHATCANYOUDO?
Educate yourself on the issues of sexual
harassment.
If someone discloses they are being sexually
harassed, believe them.
Respect whatever choices the person makes.

Provide resources and information so your
friend/co-worker can make informed decisions.
Advise your company supervisor of any
harassment you see on the job.
See it as “our” problem not an “individual’s”
problem.
Advocate for sexual harassment to be rec-
ognized as an occupational hazard in the
Ontario Health and Safety Act.
Place a written sexual harassment policy at
the top of the agenda at your union and
staff meetings.
Request that your company develop clear
policies and procedures concerning sexual
harassment.
HOWTOPREVENTSEXUALHARASSMENT
FROMHAPPENINGINYOURWORKPLACE
Develop clear sexual harassment policies
and procedures.

Make it accessible to all employees.
Enforce your corporate policy.
Inform all staff, including managers, of their
responsibility to provide a safe workplace free
of harassment.
Make any discriminatory comments or jokes
unacceptable in the workplace.
Do not allow any offensive posters, pin-ups,
or other graffiti in the workplace.
Make sure that individuals who break the
sexual harassment policy are held accountable
for their behaviour.
Address the issue of sexual harassment with
your union. Press unions to provide adequate
procedures when dealing with grievances.

Employees should lead by example and not
engage in sexual harassment. Take responsi-
bility to address the behaviour of those who
harass employees.
You can file a claim under the
Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Talk to a lawyer who can help you
make a claim under this Act.
The Human Rights Commission
You can use human rights laws to help stop
harassment. In Ontario, human rights are
protected by the Ontario Human Rights
Code and by the Canadian Human Rights
Act. You are protected by the Canadian
Human Rights Act if you work for:
the Federal Government; the CBC; a Radio
Station; a Bank; a telecommunications
company.

Complaints to do with any of these
workplaces go to the Canadian
Human Rights Commission. All other
workers in Ontario are protected by
the Ontario Human Rights Code and
complaints should go directly to the
Ontario Human Rights Commission.
Canadian Human Rights Commission:
416-973-5527 or 1-800-999-6899
TTY: 1-888-643-3304
www.chrc-ccdp.ca
email: [email protected]
Ontario Human Rights Commission:
416-326-9611 or 1-800-397-9080
TTY: 1-800-308-5561
www.ohrc.on.ca
e-mail: [email protected]

Call 911 or your local
police immediately if you
are in danger.
THEASSAULTEDWOMEN'SHELPLINE(24 HOURS)
1-866-863-0511 (toll-free)
1-866-863-7868 (TTY)
416-863-0511 (Toronto)
SEXUALASSAULT/RAPECRISISCENTRES
Go to www.sacha.on.ca/other.htm or look in your local
telephone book.
SEXUALASSAULTTREATMENT/CARECENTRES
Go to www.satcontario.com/centres/centres.shtml/ or look in
your local telephone book.
WOMEN'SSHELTERS
Go to www.shelternet.ca or look in your local telephone book.RESOURCES

REPRINTED WITH THESUPPORT OF THEONTARIOGOVERNMENT
The views expressed herein are those of The Sexual Assault/Rape
CrisisCentre of Peel and do not necessarily reflect those of the
government of Ontario.
Reprinted with the permission of:
The Sexual Assault/Rape Crisis Centre of Peel
P.O. Box 2311, Square One Post Office,
Mississauga, Ontario, L5B 3C8
24 Hour Crisis Line: (905) 273-9442
Business Line: (905) 273-3337
Copies can be obtained from:
Metropolitain Action Committee on
Violence Against Women and Children
Phone: 416-392-3135
Toll Free: 1-877-558-5570
Fax: 416-392-3136
E-mail: [email protected]
www.metrac.org | www.owjn.orgAction ontarienne contre la violence
faite aux femmes
Telephone: 613-241-8433
Tlcp: 613-241-8435
[email protected]
www.francofemmes.org/aocvf