Nearly one-third of cleaning people are sexually harassed

Nearly 32% of housecleaners in Belgium – the vast majority women – have at one time or another received unwanted sexual comments and physical contact. The results of the survey were announced in Brussels this week during an event on the rights of cleaning staff.

The survey carried out by the CSC union questioned 51,000 people working as cleaners in private homes. The harassment consisted largely of suggestive comments or sexual proposals. But about one-third of the cleaners experienced physical harassment, such as kissing or being fondled, and 15 women told CSC that they had been raped by their employer.

According to CSC, the cleaners often work alone at a client’s home, which makes them more vulnerable. “There is no social control, no colleagues around and the place of work is the private property of the client,” Pia Stalpaert, chair of CSC’s Food and Services branch, told Het Laatste Nieuws. “Many cleaners furthermore are afraid to lose their job.”

Many of the harassment victims have suffered from anxiety, difficulties performing their jobs, trouble sleeping and even suicidal thoughts. CSC has suggested training programmes for housecleaners where they learn that they do not have to accept such behaviour, demand more respect from their employers and report incidents.

More than 200,000 people work as housecleaners in Belgium, most of them women and many of them immigrants. The CSC pointed out that it is a demanding job that is often undervalued.