School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia.
Centre for Transformative Work Design, Future of Work Institute, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia.
Front Public Health. 2024 Aug 8;12:1432990. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1432990. eCollection 2024.
The prevalence, pervasiveness, and minimization of sexual harassment and sexual assault (SHSA) within the Western Australian mining industry has been revealed in recent Australian reports and inquiries. However, there remains a gap in scholarship focusing on SHSA within the mining sector, specifically that engages with mining employees to understand this issue.
This study aimed to fill this gap by exploring the experiences and perspectives of Western Australian mining employees in relation to SHSA. Through qualitative research methods, stakeholders ( 30) from various industry roles (e.g., front-line operations, administrative staff) participated in semi-structured interviews. A deductive thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the data.
The study revealed diverse perspectives of SHSA among participants, highlighting how this issue is understood, addressed, and discussed within the workplace. While some participants recognized positive shifts in workplace culture, it became apparent that additional efforts are needed to tackle the underlying and persistent factors that contribute to sexism, misogyny, and, ultimately, SHSA. Participants shared their perspectives regarding strategies and initiatives that could effectively combat SHSA within the industry.
This study constitutes a significant contribution to the limited body of research on SHSA in the Western Australian mining sector, offering valuable insights and recommendations for future prevention initiatives.
最近的澳大利亚报告和调查揭示了西澳大利亚采矿业中性骚扰和性侵犯（SHSA）的普遍存在和最小化。然而，专注于采矿业中 SHSA 的学术研究仍然存在差距，特别是那些与采矿业员工合作以了解这一问题的研究。
本研究旨在通过探索西澳大利亚采矿业员工在 SHSA 方面的经验和观点来填补这一空白。通过定性研究方法，来自不同行业角色（例如，一线运营、行政人员）的利益相关者（30 人）参与了半结构化访谈。采用演绎主题分析方法对数据进行分析。
研究揭示了参与者对 SHSA 的不同看法，强调了如何在工作场所理解、解决和讨论这一问题。虽然一些参与者认识到工作场所文化的积极转变，但显然需要进一步努力解决导致性别歧视、厌恶女性和最终 SHSA 的潜在和持续因素。参与者分享了他们对可以有效打击该行业 SHSA 的策略和举措的看法。
本研究是对西澳大利亚采矿业中 SHSA 有限研究的重要贡献，为未来的预防举措提供了有价值的见解和建议。
