What to Do When an Employee Alleges Sexual Assault at Work

Sexual harassment at work is a serious problem. It can not only make the workplace hostile, but it can also increase turnover, lower productivity, and damage the company’s public image. Employees who are harassed often suffer from mental health problems like depression and anxiety. If you suspect one of your employees has been sexually assaulted at work, there are some things you should know before taking action to resolve the situation. Here's how to deal with an employee accusing sexual assault at work.

What to do if an employee alleges sexual harassment at work
If an employee reports that she has been sexually harassed at work, the first thing you should do is listen to the affected employee. Your goal is to make sure they tell you what happened so you can take action.

First, find out if there are witnesses. If there aren’t any witnesses, you need to make sure the accused person isn’t a coworker or fellow worker. If someone else heard the alleged incident, they may not be willing to come forward because they may fear retaliation from the accused person. You don’t have to believe the woman right away; talk with someone in authority who will help you determine whether anything happened and who might have witnessed it.

If you believe something happened, follow up with the accusers. Be sure to let them know that you’re taking this seriously and that their confidentiality is important to you.

What can employers do to respond?
The law requires employers to respond to sexual harassment allegations, so it's important employers are aware of the process and the consequences.

The process is simple: The company must first notify the employee that they have been accused of sexual harassment. Then, they must notify all employees who can be a part of the investigation. How long this takes varies widely depending on how serious the accusations are, but in general, you should expect about two weeks for an investigation to complete. If there is doubt about whether or not an employee was sexually harassed, then the company should refer any such actions to an outside private investigator that specializes in sexual harassment cases.

What are the consequences of sexual assault on the workplace?
Sexual assault on the workplace can have a serious impact on an employee's mental health and physical health. 

The consequences of sexual assault in the workplace vary from state to state, as well as with different industries, but the effects of sexual assault on workers may be similar across industries. For example, it may not be necessary for everyone to work in a sexual harassment environment or for every worker to be sexually harassed at work, but if there are some employees who are frequently sexually harassed, then it is important that the company take action against those employees and remove them from their positions. If one or more employees were sexually assaulted by another employee, then that person should also face consequences such as termination or demotion due to their actions.

How to prevent workplace sexual assault 
The first step in dealing with a sexual assault at work is to understand what happened. 

The experience can be very disturbing and emotionally difficult for the victim and his or her loved ones. The majority of perpetrators of workplace sexual assault are men, although women can also engage in workplace sexual assault. The employee must identify the perpetrator so that legal action may be taken against him or her. It's critical to get an accurate assessment as soon as possible regarding all relevant factors like whether there is any relationship between the victim and perpetrator, how long they have been dating and where they worked before this incident occurred.

For an informative video see Workplace Bullying & Sexual Harassment Melbourne