25th September 2025
A survey commissioned by the Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson showed that the public expects employers to ensure a work environment free from sexual harassment. At the same time, it is acknowledged that reporting sexual harassment at work is risky and could negatively impact one’s career.
Having a Policy Is Only the First Step
Participants in the survey on public attitudes toward sexual harassment in Lithuania were presented with the statement: ‘The employer must ensure that there is no sexual harassment in the workplace.’ Nearly 8 out of 10 respondents partially or completely agreed with this: agreement was more common among women, as well as respondents with the highest levels of education and income.
However, in practice, efforts are often limited to merely approving a formal policy on the prevention of violence and harassment.
“Policies do not work on their own, especially considering that people are often introduced to them only when starting a new job. It is crucial to inform employees about specific actions: where to report misconduct, how the case investigation procedure works, and what the potential consequences are. It is also vital to organize training, ensure confidentiality, clearly define what behavior is considered inappropriate, and create an environment where bystanders also react to unwanted behavior,” emphasizes Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson Birutė Sabatauskaitė.
According to the Ombudsperson, proactive prevention of sexual harassment at work and a serious approach to the problem send a clear message that such behavior will not be tolerated in the workplace.
Reporting Sexual Harassment at Work Is Risky
Survey participants were also asked to assess whether, in their opinion, women fear that reporting sexual harassment will negatively affect their careers.
The results show that the public recognizes this risk quite clearly—7 out of 10 respondents agreed with the statement. Women agreed slightly more often (73%) than men (67%). This can be linked to their own experiences or those of women in their social circles, as well as a higher sensitivity to the topic.
“The survey data once again demonstrate how important it is to take the problem of sexual harassment at work seriously. The public recognizes that reporting sexual harassment poses a significant risk to a woman’s career. This is a crucial message for employers, encouraging them to create safe reporting channels and focus more on building a respectful organizational culture,” B. Sabatauskaitė points out.
A Safe Work Environment – The Responsibility of Employers
The Law on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men and the Law on Equal Opportunities mandate that employers ensure women and men do not experience sexual harassment at work and that such cases are investigated responsibly. The Labour Code also stipulates that employers with an average of more than fifty employees must adopt, publish, and implement a violence and harassment prevention policy in the workplace.
More information on sexual harassment prevention, as well as guidance on what to do if you have experienced sexual harassment or witnessed it, can be found on the website www.lygybe.lt.
The representative survey of Lithuanian residents was conducted on July 18–25, 2025, by Spinter tyrimai. A total of 1,009 people aged 18 and over were interviewed.
The survey is part of the project “VIOLET: Towards workplaces without sexual harassment and violence“, funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. The European Union cannot be held responsible for them.”