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Wiltshire Police launches internal campaign to tackle workplace sexual misconduct

The ‘It’s Not Banter’ campaign followed an internal survey which found 13% of male staff and 9% of female staff heard a sexual joke or story at least once a week.

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Wiltshire Police launches internal campaign to tackle workplace sexual misconduct
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Wiltshire Police has launched an internal campaign to help employees recognise when jokes and “banter” cross the line into sexual misconduct.

The ‘It’s Not Banter’ campaign followed an internal survey which found 13% of male staff and 9% of female staff heard a sexual joke or story at least once a week.

Among employees who had experienced or witnessed sexual misconduct, 17% did not report it because they feared it could affect their career progression. 

A further 23% were concerned about being ostracised by colleagues.

The campaign also raised awareness of Op Access, a service for employees to report sexual misconduct. 

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It was launched following the Angiolini Inquiry and Baroness Casey Review into policing.

Deputy Chief Constable Mark Cooper, said: “Creating a professional, respectful and inclusive culture is one of our highest priorities at Wiltshire Police, and while many people may view certain comments or jokes as harmless banter, the reality is that behaviour which makes colleagues feel uncomfortable, undermined or disrespected has no place within Wiltshire Police.

“We want our workforce to know that we are listening carefully to what they are telling us. 

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“Sexual misconduct, misogyny and misandry, whether overt or disguised as humour, are not tolerated within our organisation.” 

Cooper added: “We are committed to rooting out inappropriate behaviour and we know from our internal survey, that there is more work to do in relation to challenging unacceptable attitudes and ensuring everyone who works for Wiltshire Police feels valued, respected and able to be themselves.

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“The standards we expect of our workforce are high, and this campaign is about supporting our people to recognise where the line is, have the confidence to challenge poor behaviour and help us build the positive culture our communities rightly expect.”

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Chief Inspector Penny Andrews, of the Professional Standards Department, said: “The statistics from our survey provide an important insight into the experiences of our workforce and demonstrate why this campaign is needed.

“When 13 per cent of male colleagues and 9 per cent of female colleagues tell us they hear sexual jokes or stories every week, it is clear that behaviours which may be dismissed as banter can have a real impact on workplace culture.

“The survey also highlighted that some people are reluctant to report concerns because they fear repercussions for their career or relationships with colleagues. That is something we take extremely seriously.”

Andrews added: “The campaign is about increasing understanding, encouraging people to reflect on their behaviour and ensuring everyone knows how and where to report concerns. 

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“Most importantly, it demonstrates that we are listening to our employees and taking meaningful action in response to what they have told us.”

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