A total of 15 MPs backed the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill at its third reading at Thursday’s session of Parliament, with three members absent.
The legislation introduces fines for sexual harassment and puts an obligation on employers to draw up policies designed to combat the problem.
The new law – first discussed in 2005 – gives legal definitions for what constitutes sexual harassment allows for a specialist tribunal to be set up and sets out fines for offenders.
Sexual harassment under the legislation includes unwelcome sexual comments, gestures and advances, sending sexual images or making employment conditional on putting up with sexual advances or sexual harassment.
All employers will need to have a sexual harassment policy including disciplinary procedures.
Disclosure of names of complainants will not be allowed, except when necessary.
The Anti-Sexual Harassment Tribunal will be made up of seven people appointed by the Cabinet and will include three lawyers and four experts in related fields.
The tribunal will be able to order compensation of up to $20,000. If offenders fail to pay, they can be hit with a $5,000 penalty and/or up to a year behind bars.
A Compass survey in 2021 found that sexual harassment was common in Cayman, as well as hugely underreported.
A total of 90% of respondents in one of the polls carried out said that they had suffered sexual harassment.
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Who were the three absentees?. This also brings up the subject of an attendance register, there presumably is one, in which case it should be published on a regular basis for the benefit of the voting public.