Fruit Picking In Fear: An Examination of Sexual Harassment on Australian Farms

Sexual harassment at work is prohibited by federal and state anti-discrimination laws. Sexual assault is also an offence under state criminal legislation. Despite this, it remains nearly impossible for legal action to be taken against perpetrators of sexual harassment of temporary migrant women at their workplaces in the Australian horticulture industry. This article provides a detailed examination of the reasons why temporary migrant women on farms are particularly vulnerable to sexual harassment, and the barriers they face to accessing justice within the legal system.