Sexual Harassment Law welcomed in Jamaica
The Sexual Harassment (Protection and Prevention) Law was passed in October 2021 to help prevent sexual harassment in the workplace, schools, correctional institutions, nursing homes, medical and psychiatric facilities, to name a few. Managers and admistrators have been in training since last year November.
Minister of Gender Affairs, Olivia Grange stated Jamaicans should get ready for the Sexual Harassment Law to be enforced in workplaces and the different institutions and these organizations should start implementing the law now.
The Act addresses the prevention of sexual harassment, forms of sexual harassment and related prohibited conduct, a tribunal, procedures for making complaints to the authorities, offences and penalties. This Sexual Harassment Tribunal will consist of 14 members who will be appointed by the Minister of Gender Affairs and include four attorneys-at-law who have practised for up to 10 years; four certified and trained mediators who have practised for two years and the other will be selected based on their “worker representation, gender affairs, mental health and labour relations”.
According to Part two, Section three of the Sexual Harassment Act, employers are given the responsibility to protect their “workers, clients, students, residents, wards, inmates, patients or even members of an institution”. Before alerting the tribunal about any incident, an institution should try to handle the matter internally with disciplinary measures. Making a complaint to the tribunal is the last resort.
Many Jamaicans might have believed that such a law was already in force but welcome the fact that it is now being implemented. Sylvia Gabbidon, self-employed, said this law should have been in place 30 years ago. “Companies have a lot of history with sexual assault against workers, it’s too late but I’m glad it’s coming”, said Gabbidon. She urged both males and females to speak out against instances of sexual harassment, “Too many bosses getting away with inappropriate comments and touching”.
A single mother, who is a security guard observed, “The security industry is not a bed of roses, a lot of harassment takes place. If the manager or supervisor makes advances at you and you accept, it will give you the security guard a better chance of promotion”. She looks forward to the enforcement of this law as she emphasized that it should have been in place years ago.
