Safe at Work? Global experiences of violence and harassment

Work with us to turn insight into action

Violence and harassment at work, whether that’s physical, psychological, or sexual, remains an issue for many people globally.

This report explores individual experiences across countries and demographics around the world. It provides insight for regulators, businesses, governments, communities, and researchers to help them develop relevant policies to prevent harassment for millions of people during their working lives.

Watch our video about violence and harassment at work

Stories

One in six people have experienced psychological harassment at work

The World Risk Poll reveals that 17% of people globally have experienced psychological harassment at work during their lifetime. Identified as the most common form of workplace abuse according to the data, people say they have experienced harassment through insults, threats, bullying or intimidation.

Five Nordic nations among top ten reporting violence and harassment at work

The World Risk Poll reveals that all five Nordic nations are among the top ten countries where the highest proportion of people reported experiencing violence and harassment at work.

Worldwide, men and women have different experiences of violence and harassment at work

While the World Risk Poll reveals that globally, men are fractionally more likely to report experience of violence and harassment at work than women, 22% vs. 20% respectively, it also shows that men and women have different experiences of violence and harassment in the workplace.

Migrant women are especially vulnerable to violence and harassment at work

The World Risk Poll reveals that globally three in ten (30%) migrant women say they have experienced violence and harassment at work, compared with two in five women (21%) working in their country of birth.

Expert comment

Susan Maybud
International Consultant
Gender equality and women's advancement in the workplace

Violence and harassment shouldn’t be a workplace risk

Johan Botes
Partner and Head of the Employment & Compensation Practice
Baker McKenzie Johannesburg

Shining a light on men’s experience of violence and harassment in Southern African workplaces

Asha Palmer
SVP Compliance Solutions
Skillsoft

Workplace harassment training: if knowing is half the battle… education is the other half

Infographics

Informational graphics for journalists, bloggers and sharing on social media.

Click below to see the full list of infographic assets, free for editorial use and promotion of the 2021 World Risk Poll.

A world of risk: country overviews

Explore the everyday risks people face in different countries

Nation	Experience Index	Experience Rank
Afghanistan	31.48	21
Albania	20.12	60
Algeria	21.67	49
Argentina	16.38	81
Armenia	9.88	123
Australia	16.19	83
Austria	12.77	104
Azerbaijan	8.01	132
Bahrain	20.80	55
Bangladesh	15.06	91
Belarus	7.76	134
Belgium	13.43	102
Benin	31.34	22
Bolivia	20.85	53
Bosnia Herzegovina	10.40	118
Botswana	22.35	46
Brazil	23.30	44
Bulgaria	5.84	138
Burkina Faso	22.72	45
Cambodia	16.54	80
Cameroon	30.52	26
Canada	19.51	64
Chad	36.04	10
Chile	17.48	74
China	6.46	137
Colombia	20.81	54
Congo Brazzaville	36.35	7
Costa Rica	17.27	75
Croatia	12.00	108
Cyprus	14.32	95
Denmark	10.96	116
Dominican Republic	25.79	34
Ecuador	17.54	73
Egypt	11.88	111
El Salvador	20.76	56
Estonia	9.67	126
Ethiopia	22.18	48
Finland	14.69	93
France	12.40	106
Gabon	36.51	6
Georgia	11.38	114
Germany	12.50	105
Ghana	31.02	25
Greece	12.06	107
Guatemala	26.39	33
Guinea	29.20	30
Honduras	21.59	51
Hong Kong	9.51	128
Hungary	7.99	133
India	18.76	68
Indonesia	19.37	65
Iran	24.31	41
Iraq	36.33	8
Ireland	16.55	79
Israel	18.66	69
Italy	15.55	87
Ivory Coast	33.87	17
Jamaica	20.14	58
Japan	10.15	120
Jordan	22.25	47
Kazakhstan	9.84	124
Kenya	34.22	15
Kosovo	14.12	96
Kuwait	15.38	89
Kyrgyzstan	10.93	117
Laos	17.83	72
Latvia	9.32	130
Lebanon	15.25	90
Lesotho	34.45	14
Liberia	46.64	1
Libya	29.39	29
Lithuania	13.61	99
Luxembourg	18.40	70
Macedonia	19.59	63
Madagascar	31.07	24
Malawi	40.58	4
Malaysia	19.86	62
Mali	24.62	39
Malta	13.80	97
Mauritania	20.13	59
Mauritius	21.19	52
Mexico	19.05	67
Moldova	18.33	71
Mongolia	10.04	121
Montenegro	19.32	66
Morocco	25.60	35
Mozambique	40.65	3
Myanmar	11.41	113
Namibia	35.75	11
Nepal	28.74	31
Netherlands	15.44	88
New Zealand	15.90	86
Nicaragua	16.04	84
Niger	25.46	36
Nigeria	15.97	85
Norway	9.91	122
Pakistan	34.80	13
Palestine	21.65	50
Panama	23.51	43
Paraguay	20.56	57
Peru	24.75	38
Philippines	29.62	28
Poland	5.29	139
Portugal	16.82	77
Romania	8.06	131
Russia	9.34	129
Rwanda	32.09	20
Saudi Arabia	16.70	78
Senegal	34.03	16
Serbia	11.03	115
Sierra Leone	35.59	12
Singapore	3.91	141
Slovakia	13.52	100
Slovenia	11.93	110
South Africa	32.63	18
South Korea	9.58	127
Spain	16.85	76
Sri Lanka	13.50	101
Swaziland	31.34	22
Sweden	13.36	103
Switzerland	11.72	112
Taiwan	6.95	136
Tajikistan	9.71	125
Tanzania	24.44	40
Thailand	10.33	119
Gambia	36.08	9
Togo	32.22	19
Tunisia	25.25	37
Turkey	14.59	94
Turkmenistan	4.44	140
Uganda	36.97	5
Ukraine	7.43	135
United Arab Emirates	16.38	81
United Kingdom	13.69	98
United States	19.99	61
Uruguay	14.99	92
Uzbekistan	3.80	142
Venezuela	29.82	27
Vietnam	11.97	109
Yemen	27.37	32
Zambia	46.17	2
Zimbabwe	23.61	42

Nation	Trust Index	Trust Rank
Afghanistan	28.60	139
Albania	42.12	122
Algeria	48.88	111
Argentina	47.41	113
Armenia	56.67	89
Australia	81.32	17
Austria	77.81	25
Azerbaijan	63.93	61
Bahrain	90.17	3
Bangladesh	70.29	40
Belarus	64.75	59
Belgium	66.57	54
Benin	68.67	45
Bolivia	61.44	74
Bosnia Herzegovina	39.65	126
Botswana	81.24	18
Brazil	50.29	103
Bulgaria	40.26	124
Burkina Faso	64.84	58
Cambodia	62.88	66
Cameroon	50.21	104
Canada	79.32	20
Chad	46.65	115
Chile	38.97	128
China	80.03	19
Colombia	60.93	75
Congo Brazzaville	46.49	116
Costa Rica	74.87	30
Croatia	36.51	131
Cyprus	54.11	97
Denmark	81.36	16
Dominican Republic	67.41	50
Ecuador	59.22	82
Egypt	61.79	73
El Salvador	75.46	28
Estonia	60.08	78
Ethiopia	49.44	107
Finland	77.88	24
France	57.63	86
Gabon	36.44	132
Georgia	49.06	109
Germany	69.31	44
Ghana	62.45	68
Greece	45.43	117
Guatemala	62.85	67
Guinea	50.84	102
Honduras	59.28	80
Hong Kong	73.67	33
Hungary	74.41	31
India	73.35	34
Indonesia	86.74	6
Iran	64.29	60
Iraq	31.56	137
Ireland	75.19	29
Israel	67.89	49
Italy	57.47	87
Ivory Coast	66.62	53
Jamaica	58.20	84
Japan	71.17	38
Jordan	66.49	55
Kazakhstan	69.34	43
Kenya	69.38	42
Kosovo	46.67	114
Kuwait	86.95	5
Kyrgyzstan	56.22	91
Laos	54.89	94
Latvia	49.39	108
Lebanon	29.04	138
Lesotho	38.53	129
Liberia	43.22	121
Libya	61.95	70
Lithuania	44.79	119
Luxembourg	81.80	15
Macedonia	50.02	105
Madagascar	67.32	51
Malawi	59.03	83
Malaysia	82.79	12
Mali	51.68	100
Malta	81.84	14
Mauritania	33.79	134
Mauritius	73.18	36
Mexico	59.61	79
Moldova	44.46	120
Mongolia	47.62	112
Montenegro	40.76	123
Morocco	38.43	130
Mozambique	72.61	37
Myanmar	63.78	62
Namibia	63.21	65
Nepal	54.60	95
Netherlands	84.80	9
New Zealand	79.31	21
Nicaragua	76.15	26
Niger	57.45	88
Nigeria	49.05	110
Norway	78.29	23
Pakistan	49.91	106
Palestine	60.88	76
Panama	70.38	39
Paraguay	39.87	125
Peru	51.37	101
Philippines	87.35	4
Poland	57.96	85
Portugal	66.21	56
Romania	32.77	136
Russia	45.24	118
Rwanda	84.92	8
Senegal	56.26	90
Serbia	55.55	92
Sierra Leone	59.27	81
Singapore	93.03	1
Slovakia	61.95	71
Slovenia	67.93	48
South Africa	63.60	63
South Korea	63.34	64
Spain	62.07	69
Sri Lanka	74.27	32
Swaziland	78.52	22
Sweden	84.72	10
Switzerland	85.52	7
Taiwan	68.67	46
Tajikistan	82.01	13
Tanzania	73.29	35
Thailand	60.24	77
Gambia	66.70	52
Togo	53.11	98
Tunisia	39.24	127
Turkey	54.57	96
Uganda	61.85	72
Ukraine	32.98	135
United Arab Emirates	92.76	2
United Kingdom	75.48	27
United States	69.48	41
Uruguay	68.63	47
Uzbekistan	83.12	11
Venezuela	34.90	133
Vietnam	65.91	57
Yemen	25.27	140
Zambia	51.80	99
Zimbabwe	55.11	93

Nation	Worry Index	Worry Rank
Afghanistan	44.04	65
Albania	49.47	39
Algeria	42.53	73
Argentina	43.35	68
Armenia	31.77	121
Australia	28.83	131
Austria	36.40	99
Azerbaijan	35.13	105
Bahrain	34.04	110
Bangladesh	49.26	42
Belarus	30.33	127
Belgium	36.33	100
Benin	56.21	23
Bolivia	49.74	37
Bosnia Herzegovina	33.71	112
Botswana	48.67	44
Brazil	58.34	13
Bulgaria	31.64	122
Burkina Faso	54.13	27
Cambodia	47.14	51
Cameroon	50.46	35
Canada	32.31	119
Chad	56.59	21
Chile	54.63	25
China	30.92	125
Colombia	49.40	41
Congo Brazzaville	59.90	6
Costa Rica	41.83	78
Croatia	33.34	115
Cyprus	51.64	32
Denmark	22.64	139
Dominican Republic	42.77	72
Ecuador	52.95	30
Egypt	37.43	97
El Salvador	41.66	80
Estonia	25.71	137
Ethiopia	35.49	104
Finland	26.18	135
France	41.13	85
Gabon	60.56	4
Georgia	34.14	108
Germany	36.33	100
Ghana	54.57	26
Greece	42.22	76
Guatemala	45.96	58
Guinea	62.76	2
Honduras	41.99	77
Hong Kong	38.00	94
Hungary	29.19	129
India	39.25	88
Indonesia	46.90	53
Iran	37.74	95
Iraq	49.24	43
Ireland	35.63	103
Israel	28.98	130
Italy	44.97	61
Ivory Coast	59.07	10
Jamaica	49.66	38
Japan	44.28	63
Jordan	43.66	66
Kazakhstan	33.48	114
Kenya	47.21	50
Kosovo	43.02	70
Kuwait	34.64	107
Kyrgyzstan	43.09	69
Laos	42.28	75
Latvia	33.51	113
Lebanon	47.98	46
Lesotho	60.56	4
Liberia	58.22	14
Libya	39.62	87
Lithuania	26.04	136
Luxembourg	38.61	92
Macedonia	48.58	45
Madagascar	41.74	79
Malawi	62.59	3
Malaysia	49.46	40
Mali	57.40	18
Malta	35.89	102
Mauritania	46.98	52
Mauritius	56.38	22
Mexico	45.80	59
Moldova	47.87	48
Mongolia	53.82	28
Montenegro	41.22	84
Morocco	53.12	29
Mozambique	64.84	1
Myanmar	50.58	34
Namibia	50.32	36
Nepal	47.96	47
Netherlands	28.10	133
New Zealand	31.34	123
Nicaragua	33.24	117
Niger	41.55	81
Nigeria	39.15	90
Norway	23.16	138
Pakistan	59.12	9
Palestine	42.47	74
Panama	46.35	56
Paraguay	43.46	67
Peru	57.64	17
Philippines	59.21	8
Poland	29.34	128
Portugal	52.05	31
Romania	41.10	86
Russia	36.63	98
Rwanda	46.16	57
Saudi Arabia	33.81	111
Senegal	58.89	11
Serbia	33.29	116
Sierra Leone	56.00	24
Singapore	20.15	141
Slovakia	32.81	118
Slovenia	37.58	96
South Africa	57.96	15
South Korea	46.62	54
Spain	45.52	60
Sri Lanka	39.19	89
Swaziland	59.24	7
Sweden	18.75	142
Switzerland	31.32	124
Taiwan	41.46	83
Tajikistan	28.07	134
Tanzania	44.11	64
Thailand	38.53	93
Gambia	57.37	19
Togo	56.96	20
Tunisia	42.96	71
Turkey	46.54	55
Turkmenistan	30.68	126
Uganda	50.82	33
Ukraine	34.65	106
United Arab Emirates	28.59	132
United Kingdom	32.26	120
United States	34.10	109
Uruguay	41.47	82
Uzbekistan	21.66	140
Venezuela	57.66	16
Vietnam	44.41	62
Yemen	38.77	91
Zambia	58.77	12
Zimbabwe	47.30	49

The Lloyd's Register Foundation
World Risk Poll