Horrific reason ABC boss is demanding urgent ‘cultural change’ at the national broadcaster

Nearly 100 ABC employees have reported being sexually harassed at work, while a quarter say they have been bullied, a shocking new survey has revealed.

A total of 745 national broadcaster employees responded to a survey conducted by the Australian National University’s Social Research Center at the request of female employees.

The report shows that 13 percent (96 employees) have experienced sexual harassment in the past two years, while 29 percent say they have been bullied.

The work environment was found to be worse for women who were twice as likely to be bullied and who also made up 90 percent of those sexually harassed.

Less than a quarter of respondents who were sexually harassed reported the incident, with many saying it was due to fears it would negatively affect their careers.

Nearly 100 ABC employees have reported being sexually harassed at work, while a quarter say they have been bullied, a shocking new survey has revealed (stock image)

ABC managing director David Anderson (pictured) said an urgent ‘culture change’ was needed in the newsroom and told all staff in an email that there would be consequences for those who behaved ‘unacceptably’.

More than 200 female employees also said they did not feel safe at work, the survey found.

While 399 employees said they had been bullied in the workplace in the past two years, 65 percent did not report this.

The most common forms of bullying identified in the survey were ‘intimidation, belittling and derogatory comments’.

ABC managing director David Anderson said an urgent “culture change” was needed in the newsroom and told all staff in an email that there would be consequences for those who behaved “unacceptably”.

“The report’s findings indicate that ABC News employees experienced workplace bullying and sexual harassment during their employment at ABC,” Anderson wrote.

‘Bullying and… sexual harassment are unacceptable in any workplace.

‘If someone does not understand or accept this, then the ABC is not the working environment for them.’

ABC’s news director Justin Stevens echoed Anderson’s concerns, saying sexual harassment and bullying simply ‘shouldn’t be happening’ at the national broadcaster (stock image)

ABC News Director Justin Stevens echoed Anderson’s concerns, saying sexual harassment and bullying simply “shouldn’t happen” at the national broadcaster.

“To those who engage in this behavior, it is unacceptable and we will not tolerate it,” he said in an email.

“Anyone who engages in such behavior, or justifies it in any way, is not welcome at the ABC.”

The news director also said the results had also shown that the majority enjoy working at the ABC and have made good friendships over their time.

The broadcaster has set up a portal that allows employees to anonymously report cases of bullying and sexual harassment.