Safer Spaces

Supporting tourism and hospitality employers in preventing sexual harassment and meeting their legal obligations through education, resources, and advisory services.

Safer Spaces Icon
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CONTENT WARNING: SEXUAL HARASSMENT

If you have experienced sexual harassment and need support, please see our list of resources here.

What is Safer Spaces?

Safer Spaces is an initiative developed by go2HR with support from Justice Canada to raise awareness about and help prevent sexual harassment in tourism and hospitality workplaces. The following principles lead our work:

  • Promoting diversity, inclusion, sensitivity and respect
  • Applying a survivor-centered and trauma-informed lens
  • Avoiding duplication of efforts by promoting the work of others
  • Ensuring materials are accessible to the industry at large

What’s New in Safer Spaces?

  • New Workplace Investigations training
  • Training now available in multiple languages
  • Updated content for vulnerable workers
Important Legal Information

Legal Requirements for Employers

Implementing a comprehensive Sexual Harassment Prevention Program is a legal obligation for employers. It is also a critical investment in workplace culture, employee safety, and organizational reputation.

Employers in Canada are required to provide safe workplaces. Without a defined Sexual Harassment or Workplace Violence Prevention Program, you increase legal liability if an incident occurs.

Sexual harassment and workplace violence fall under multiple legislative frameworks. Select a category below to understand your responsibilities.

Employers that are Federally regulated must comply with the Canada Labour Code’s Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations requiring all businesses to complete a risk assessment, implement a policy, and have a comprehensive procedure in place to address reports. In addition, employers must submit an annual report detailing any occurrences.

The BC Employment Standards Act does not have a policy specific to Sexual Harassment or Workplace Violence Prevention; however, it does have specific sections pertaining to protection of employees.

Speak to an Advisor to learn more.

Contact an Advisor

WorkSafeBC requires all employers in BC to have a Bullying and Harassment program in place that addresses both physical and psychological hazards. An incident of sexual harassment may fall under WSBC’s criteria and meet the standard for bullying and harassment as an eligible claim. In addition, any injury, either physical or psychological, that occurs in the workplace and requires medical attention or results in time loss beyond the day of injury must be reported to WSBC.

Both the BC Human Rights Code and the Canadian Human Rights Act protect individuals in their employment from discrimination that may occur as part of sexual harassment, including personal characteristics such as gender identity or expression, sex and sexual orientation. In addition, under section 44(2) of the code, employers can be held liable for discriminatory actions, such as sexual harassment, carried out by their employees or agents.

Incidents of sexual harassment are non-consensual and may fall under several different sections of the Criminal Code, including voyeurism, publication of an intimate image without consent, criminal harassment, uttering threats, assault and sexual assault. Employers are prohibited from discouraging or advising employees not to contact the RCMP to report incidents of sexual harassment or workplace violence.

Employees who suffer harassment and feel they must leave their job due to the employer's lack of action may be able to sue for constructive dismissal.

Our Employer Advisory Services

go2HR offers free advisory services that support Tourism and Hospitality employers in BC with operationalizing a Sexual Harassment Prevention Program in their business. Our Advisory services, which include 1:1 consulting, offer:

  • Auditing existing programs
  • A roadmap to implement a program
  • Resources that can be customized to your sector and business
  • A step-by-step guide from initial risk assessment to investigation and reporting

If you need assistance with assessing or implementing a Sexual Harassment Prevention Program, contact saferspaces@go2hr.ca to get started today.

We recognize that sexual harassment may be part of a broader spectrum of behaviors that make up workplace violence. If you would like to implement a comprehensive Workplace Violence Prevention Program that includes sexual harassment, please indicate this in your email.

Safer Spaces Advisory Illustration
Employer Roadmap Illustration

Employer Roadmap

The Employer Roadmap breaks down the operationalization of a Sexual Harassment Prevention Program into three structured steps. These steps are outlined in the recommended order of completion to successfully launch your program.

1

Risk Assessment

A risk assessment is essential to determine actual and potential risks in the workplace, contributing factors, likelihood of occurrence, and severity of harm that may result.

2

Policy Development

Policy development includes identifying responsibilities within the workplace and developing a comprehensive policy, either specific to sexual harassment or a broader workplace violence policy supported by procedures.

3

Implementation

Successful program launch includes advising leadership and employees, training all staff, and conducting annual reviews and reporting if required.

Why should you care ?

One in ten women experience gender-based discrimination at work

Inappropriate sexualized behaviour more common for women in occupations historically held by men

Many women do not speak out about their experiences for fear of negative impact on their career

Women and men in service jobs experience high rates of inappropriate sexualized behaviours

One in three women targeted with sexually explicit materials at work says someone in authority was responsible

In 2020, 25% of women and 17% of men experienced sexual misconduct in their workplace

Over 25% of employees did not feel like their employer had given them information on identifying, reporting, or accessing resources related to sexual harassment

Source: Status Canada https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/start

Safer Spaces Training

Free Safer Spaces courses are available for Supervisors and Workers in multiple languages. The Workers course (English) is currently available in Spanish and Tagalog , with Mandarin and Punjabi in development. Coming soon: Safer Spaces Investigations training course.

Our Sexual Harassment
Course for Leaders

Safer Spaces for Employers and Supervisors is the first in a series of two Safer Spaces online courses that have been developed by go2HR. Leaders are fundamental to creating sexual harassment free workplaces because they establish the safety culture and set the tone. We invite B.C.’s employers and supervisors to take the lead by completing the Safer Spaces course and creating their own safer workplaces.

 

Learn More and Register Here

Online Sexual Harassment
Course for Workers

Sexual harassment is a pervasive problem in the tourism industry, affecting employees and guests alike. We’re proud to offer a comprehensive sexual harassment training course designed for the tourism industry.

Investing in sexual harassment training for your tourism industry employees is not only the right thing to do but also makes good business sense. Creating a safe and respectful workplace can attract and retain top talent, increase employee morale and productivity, and improve guest satisfaction.

 

 

Learn More and Register Here

Get Involved & Access Support

Safer Spaces hopes to challenge and change our industry by providing easy access to resources and training on the topic of sexual harassment. In doing so, we aim to raise awareness about the topic and also equip BC’s tourism and hospitality workforce with practical knowledge and tools to help prevent it.

How to get involved

Save the Safer Spaces homepage to your favourites and check back regularly, as we continue to add new content
Challenge your management and leadership teams to take the Safer Spaces course for employers and supervisors
Ask your employees to complete the Safer Spaces course for workers and incorporate this training into your future onboarding programs for new hires
Register for our newsletters, which include a regular feature on the Safer Spaces initiative
Help us spread the word about Safer Spaces - tell your contacts and colleagues in BC’s tourism and hospitality industry about the initiative and ask them to get involved!

What to do if You Need Help!

If you have experienced sexual harassment and need some support, please access the following resources:

VictimLinkBC Crisis Text Line Crisis Services Canada Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre Hope for Wellness Counseling Services Battered Women’s Support Services BC Society for Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse If you are in immediate danger or fear for your safety,
please call 911