The Working Women’s Centre Australia welcomes the launch of the Speaking from Experience report by the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) — a landmark project centring the voices of over 300 women and gender-diverse people with lived experience of workplace sexual harassment.
At Working Women’s Centre Australia (WWCA), we are proud to have supported this vital project, encouraging those who have experienced harm to help shape the national conversation.
The report outlines practical, lived-experience-driven steps to:
✅ Prevent workplace sexual harassment
✅ Strengthen trauma-informed responses
✅ End the harmful misuse of NDAs
✅ Expand access to justice
A key recommendation calls for funding specialist organisations — including Working Women’s Centres, multicultural services, LGBTIQA+ organisations, youth centres, disability services, women’s services, and First Nations organisations — to deliver accessible, culturally appropriate education and outreach on workplace sexual harassment.
One of the critical barriers identified in Speaking from Experience is the widespread use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in workplace sexual harassment cases. These agreements often silence victim-survivors and prevent advocates from speaking out.
The report calls for NDAs to be used only at the request of the victim-survivor, ensuring they are a tool for safety and empowerment rather than a means of shielding perpetrators.
WWCA sees the Speaking from Experience report as highlighting the opportunity for stronger collaboration between policymakers, employers, and advocacy organisations like Working Women’s Centres across Australia to co-design better solutions. When advocates help lead the way, we can achieve genuine, lasting reform that creates safer and more respectful workplaces.
As part of this project, the AHRC has developed a suite of resources to help drive change — designed for workers, employers, and advocates.
👉 Explore the resources: Workplace Sexual Harassment Resources
