In all Nordic countries, employers are required to prevent and respond appropriately to sexual harassment in the workplace. Nevertheless, the problem remains widespread, as has become increasingly clear in connection with the #MeToo campaign. In this review, we identify the laws that apply in the Nordic countries. The #MeToo campaign swept across a large number of countries in the autumn of 2017, enabling women to share their experiences of sexual harassment and joining forces to draw attention to the problem.
Sexual harassment refers to a behaviourof sexual nature that violates the dignity of another person. Examples include comments about somebody’s breasts, a person sending sexually explicit pictures to a colleague without consent, somebody intentionally touching somebody else inappropriately and a supervisor asking a subordinate for sexual favours.The large number of testimonies that have surfaced since the launch of the #MeToo campaign show that these types of violations – which target mainly women – are commonplace in Nordic workplaces. The many reports of mistreatment also indicate that perpetrators are rarely held accountable for their behaviour, despite the fact that sexual harassment is illegal in all Nordic countries. Against this background, Nordic Information on Gender (NIKK) has taken a close look at what thelaws and legal protection in relation to sexual harassment in the workplace look like in the Nordic nations.