‘Alarming’ rates of sexual harassment and stress among Swiss apprentices
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
Foreign affairs
What Trump’s return or a new Harris administration would mean for Switzerland
Should raw milk sales be banned or should consumers decide?
Swiss food regulations do not allow raw milk to be sold for direct consumption. However, a loophole allows 400 raw milk vending machines to do just that.
Is reforming the Swiss pension system still possible, and if so, how?
Solutions still need to be found to meet the challenge of an ageing population and to improve the pensions of low-paid workers, the majority of whom are women.
This content was published on
Czech President Petr Pavel and his wife, Eva Pavlova, arrived in Switzerland on Tuesday at the start of a two-day state visit.
Study shows proliferation of non-native plants is driver of insect invasions
This content was published on
A global study has revealed that insect invasions are being driven by the proliferation of non-native plants. This can can massively disrupt ecological processes, often leading to serious economic impacts.
Swiss set record for world’s longest hyperloop test
This content was published on
Swiss scientists have established a record for the longest-ever hyperloop journey at a facility in Lausanne, Switzerland.
This content was published on
The Swiss army wants to purchase new German armoured howitzers to replace its existing artillery system which has been in operation for over 50 years.
Poll suggests Donald Trump has many fans in Switzerland
This content was published on
Around a quarter of Swiss citizens would vote for Donald Trump if they had the chance, according to a recent poll. This percentage is higher than in many other European countries.
Swiss court rejects special assistance for student with disabilities
This content was published on
The Swiss Federal Court has rejected an application for special assistance from a student with disabilities at the federal technology institute ETH Zurich.
Police arrest 15 drug dealers in Verbier in southern Switzerland
This content was published on
Swiss and French police have arrested 15 suspected drug dealers operating in the mountain resort of Verbier in southern Switzerland.
New European space tech centre in Switzerland launches its first project
This content was published on
The European Space Deep-Tech Innovation Centre (ESDI), launched in collaboration with the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), is to be located in the immediate vicinity of the PSI in northern Switzerland.
Swiss Federal Railways launches campaign for safety on public transport
This content was published on
The Swiss Federal Railways is launching a campaign for greater respect and safety on public transport, with posters to go up in stations and on trains starting next week.
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.