The EOC unveiled the findings of its latest study on the formulation of anti-sexual harassment (ASH) policies among National Sports Associations (NSAs) in Hong Kong at a press conference on 25 January 2021, during which the Commission also announced the launch of a new hotline at 2106 2222 dedicated for enquiries on sexual harassment.

Based on desktop research, the study revealed significant progress made by NSAs in formulating ASH policies and enhancing their transparency, as 71 out of 79 NSAs (90%) were found to have developed an ASH policy and/or code of conduct on  ASH for coaches or instructors and posted them on publicly viewable websites as of October 2020. The figures represent a significant improvement from a 2018 EOC survey, where only 35% of responding NSAs indicated they had a policy or code of conduct in place and even less (29%) had posted them online.

However, a considerable proportion (37%) of self-financed NSAs, i.e. NSAs that are not subvented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), had not formulated an ASH policy nor a code of conduct. Furthermore, even among NSAs with an ASH policy, essential elements of an effective policy were lacking in some instances. For example, 26% of these NSAs had omitted the name and contact information of the person(s) designated to handle complaints, while 33% had not given assurance that no one would be penalised for complaining in good faith.

Addressing these areas for improvement, the EOC recommended that each NSA should consider designating a person as a Gender Focal Point (GFP) who can ensure ASH policies are properly implemented and arrange relevant training for staff and athletes, and that the Home Affairs Bureau and LCSD should explore the setup of a GFP network to connect sports organisations and encourage self-financed NSAs to adopt preventive measures. The network could include District Sports Associations to widen the adoption of ASH policies and strengthen protection for young athletes.

The EOC also plans to organise seminars and workshops for the sports sector later this year, with a view to raising awareness of the latest changes to the Sex Discrimination Ordinance that have broadened the scope of protection against workplace sexual harassment.

In addition to the research findings, the EOC announced the launch of its Anti-Sexual Harassment Hotline (2106 2222) which would provide callers with information on relevant laws, advice on where to lodge complaints and seek redress, and referral to counselling and therapy services when needed.

Positioned as a first port of call for people affected by sexual harassment as well as employers looking to learn about their potential liability, the hotline is manned by the EOC’s newly established Anti-Sexual Harassment Unit and operates from 8:45am to 5:45pm, Monday to Friday (except public holidays and when special service arrangements are in place to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission as posted on the EOC website). The Unit is also set to conduct a holistic review of the current legal regime, in order to identify protection gaps and recommend legislative amendments where appropriate.

Click the links below for more detail on the research and the hotline.

• Read the research report
• More on the hotline
• Read the press release