Workplace sexual harassment complaints jump by 38% in Hong Kong

Workplace sexual harassment complaints in Hong Kong have jumped by 38 per cent year on year, according to the equality watchdog.The Equal Opportunities Commission recorded 315 such complaints in 2025, up from 228 the previous year, the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau said in a written response to legislative inquiries on Thursday.Employment-related harassment complaints climbed from 156 in 2024 to 207 last year. Non-employment-related cases, which include unwanted sexual conduct between people sharing a workspace without an employer-employee relationship, increased from 72 to 108.The Equal Opportunities Commission is set to launch a community partner training programme, calling on companies to nominate staff members to help prevent harassment within their ranks. Photo: Jelly TseThe five-year data set shows a steady climb in harassment reports. In 2021, the commission received 148 employment-related complaints. The figure spiked to 207 last year.Non-employment-related cases also climbed steadily over the same period, more than tripling from 35 cases in 2021 to 108 last year.In the same period, inquiries about sexual harassment also edged up, rising from 588 in 2024 to 596 last year – a 1.36 per cent increase.The bureau said the commission would launch a citywide publicity campaign to promote messages and information on the prevention of workplace sexual harassment.