Oz govt steps up fight against cyber bullying, sexual harassment
January 11th, 2011 - 6:21 pm ICT by ANIMelbourne, Jan 11 (ANI): Students, nursing women and people with family responsibilities will form the basis for new measures to be adopted by the Australian Government to tackle online bullying and sexual harassment.
With an aim to strengthen discrimination laws, the Independent Education Union of Australia have submitted a report to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, examining sex and age discrimination legislation.
In its submission, the IEUA said that the present laws did not protect students or staff at educational facilities from harassment by persons at other facilities, reports News.com.au.
The IEUA supported proposed amendments that would cover sexual harassment at inter-school activities, such as sporting carnivals or joint theatrical productions.
It also called for specific laws to deal with Internet harassment and bullying.
“IEUA believes it is imperative for legislation to provide strong protection by specifically making references to cyber harassment,” said the submission.
The IEUA also supported amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act to better protect people from discrimination on the grounds of family responsibility.
“Discrimination because of family responsibility is one of the major issues facing both men and women in the workforce. There must be clear and direct protection from it in all forms,” said the submission.
Breastfeeding women both at work and in other areas of public life also needed better protection, said the union.
The Australian Family Association has supported the proposed amendments broadening legal provisions regarding family responsibility. (ANI)
- NGOs want protection of men in sexual harassment bill - Jul 17, 2010
- Sexual discrimination reconsidered - Aug 06, 2010
- Victims of domestic violence are discriminated at work: Oz study - Sep 10, 2010
- 'Include rehabilitation in children sexual offence bill' - Dec 21, 2011
- Bill against sexual harassment at workplace introduced - Dec 07, 2010
- 90pc women 'sexually harassed at the workplace' - Aug 11, 2010
- Dowry, sexual harassment laws among government priorities - Jun 11, 2010
- Pak Govt 'routinely violates basic rights, persecutes minorities under cover of law':HRW - Jan 25, 2011
- Minority women in Pakistan face harassment: Study - Mar 16, 2012
- Patil hopeful Lok Sabha will consider women's quota bill - Feb 21, 2011
- China mulls human rights, torture in criminal law reform - Mar 08, 2012
- Bangladesh students protest against rampant 'eve teasing, sexual harassment of women ' - Nov 04, 2010
- Working fathers in Spain entitled to "breastfeeding leave" - Oct 01, 2010
- Non-Muslim women in Pakistan face harassment (Lead) - Mar 16, 2012
- In Britain, hostility within family could mean crime - Dec 12, 2011
Tags: age discrimination legislation, australian government, constitutional affairs, cyber harassment, discrimination laws, educational facilities, family responsibilities, family responsibility discrimination, govt steps, ieua, independent education union, inter school, internet harassment, legal provisions, news com au, nursing women, sex discrimination act, sexual harassment, theatrical productions, women in the workforce