A matter that concerns us all!
Overview of the situation
TELLING FIGURES
According to a study conducted in Québec for which the report was published in 2011:
- nearly 15% of Québec workers said they had been subjected to psychological harassment in the previous year.
- 2.5% said they were victims of sexual harassment.
- 1.9% said they had been the target of physical violence.
HAS WORKPLACE VIOLENCE DECREASED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS?
In 1998, the prevailing statistics on the prevalence of workplace violence revealed that:
- 18% of Québec workers said they were subject to intimidation;
- 4.4% said they were victims of sexual harassment;
- 3% experienced physical violence.
.
The two studies (1998 and 2011) must be compared with caution because they used different survey techniques and definitions of violence. It can nonetheless be seen that apart from a slight decline in sexual harassment and physical violence, violence remains just as present in the workplace 13 years later, particularly in the form of psychological harassment.
The 2011 study further reveals that harassment affects as many (in actual fact, more) unionized workers (20.8%) than non-unionized workers (14.2%). Management personnel are also affected (10.3%), as are self-employed workers (6.1%).
1998 study: ARCAND, R., LABRECHE, F., STOCK, S., MESSING, K., & TISSOT, F. (2001). Travail et santé. In Enquête sociale et de santé 1998 (2e ed.). Québec.
2011 study: VÉZINA, M., CLOUTIER, E., STOCK, S., LIPPEL, K., FORTIN, É., DELISLE, A., ST-VINCENT, M., FUNES, A., DUGUAY, P., VÉZINA, S., PRUD’HOMME, P. Enquête québécoise sur des conditions de travail, d’emploi et de santé et de sécurité du travail (EQCOTESST), Études et recherches / Rapport R-691, Montréal, IRSST, 2011, 756 p.