Workplace violence and harassment affect more than one in five workers worldwide, with women facing disproportionate risks of sexual violence. According to the first global survey by the International Labour Organization, 23% of employed people (nearly 750 million workers) have experienced violence and harassment at work, whether physical, psychological, or sexual.

Sexual violence and harassment affect 6% of employed people globally (over 200 million workers), with women experiencing significantly higher rates at 8% compared to 5% of men. Young women face double the risk of young men for sexual violence and harassment, while migrant women experience nearly twice the rate of non-migrant women

Women in public roles face additional workplace violence layers. Across five regions, 82% of women parliamentarians experienced psychological violence during their terms, including sexist remarks primarily from male colleagues. Social media serves as the main harassment platform, with 44% of women lawmakers receiving death, assault, or abduction threats against themselves or families.