‘Alarming’ rates of sexual harassment and stress among Swiss apprentices
More than two-thirds of students after the compulsory three years of lower secondary school choose to pursue the vocational path.
Keystone/ennio Leanza
Some two-thirds of apprentices in Switzerland, many of whom are minors, have experienced sexual harassment – one-third of whom say that it occurred in the workplace.
This is according to a studyExternal link on the life of apprentices published by the trade union organisation Unia Youth on Monday. The organisation surveyed 800 apprentices – some 28% of whom were in their first year of apprenticeship. Women made up 61% of the survey respondents.
Many of those affected are minors and have only been working for a short time, often in their first job. One third of respondents indicated that they faced sexual harassment at work, another third at school and just over half in their private lives. Only 30% had never experienced sexual harassment.
“The fact that so many young people have already had such an experience is alarming and shows that apprentices, but also all employees, need to be protected more,” said Kathrin Ziltener, national youth secretary at Unia, in a statement.
The most common forms of sexual harassment were sexual innuendos and derogatory remarks. The experience was more common among women with some 80% of females surveyed indicating they faced sexual harassment, compared to 46% of males.
Stress on the job
The survey also found high levels of stress among apprentices, with some 70% indicating that they felt stressed and nearly half felt overwhelmed on occasion.
Almost two-thirds (63%) of all respondents had to work overtime from time to time during their apprenticeship and almost a third (31%) have already been bullied at the workplace.
To address the situation, Unia calls for better legal protections for apprentices, especially with regards to overtime and evening work. It also urges workplaces to implement a zero-tolerance policy concerning sexual harassment, to create a contact point within or outside the company, and to put in place sanctions for employees who are found guilty of sexual misconduct.
Popular Stories
More
Culture
Documentary portrays Swiss teenagers forced to return to parents’ homeland
This content was published on
Starting Wednesday, Swiss researchers will have access to the European Research Council’s Proof of Concept Grants, said the European Commission.
Switzerland fined for denying asylum for gay Iranian
This content was published on
Switzerland violated the prohibition on inhuman treatment by considering that a gay Iranian could be returned to his country.
Gestational diabetes found to increase risk of adult-onset diabetes
This content was published on
A research team from the Lake Geneva region has identified persistent dysfunctions in glucose regulation in women with gestational diabetes. In the long term, this can increase the risk of adult-onset diabetes by up to ten times.
Swiss village must be evacuated by midday on Sunday
This content was published on
The village of Brienz-Brinzauls in eastern Switzerland, which is threatened by a rockfall, must be evacuated by 1pm on Sunday. All residents must leave the village.
This content was published on
A former judge of the Graubünden Administrative Court in eastern Switzerland has been found guilty of rape, sexual harassment and threatening a former trainee.
Costs and care time increase in Swiss retirement and nursing homes
This content was published on
In 2023 the costs of retirement and nursing homes increased by 5% compared to 2022 and those of assistance and care at home by 7%. Together, they amounted to CHF15 billion.
This content was published on
Almost half of the population in Switzerland shows clear to pronounced signs of smartphone addiction, according to a survey.
Swiss healthcare stakeholders want to save CHF300 million
This content was published on
The main players in the Swiss healthcare sector want to save around CHF300 million ($340 million) in healthcare costs a year from 2026.
This content was published on
Some 85% of Swiss graduating from an apprenticeship find a job within three months; almost half of them stay loyal to the employer who trained them.
One in five Swiss women has been a victim of sexual violence
This content was published on
Sexual violence is much more widespread in Switzerland than previously thought, affecting at least one in five women, Amnesty warns.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.