EXCLUSIVE: TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak warns ‘even in 2026 too many workplaces still have cultures and systems that allow abuse to flourish and fail women when they report it’
This week has been a grim reminder of the scale of violence against women and girls in our society.
On Monday Russell Brand was sentenced to more than ten years in prison for rape and sexual assault. Now there have been allegations that David Walliams, who denies wrongdoing, used his fame and power to prey on teenage girls and young women for sex.
These are two different cases but our thoughts are with those who came forward and with all survivors who have experienced sexual violence, including those who may never feel able to speak publicly about what happened to them.
The headlines have shone a spotlight on individual men. But they should also force us to ask a wider question. What was known? What was suspected? And why were the warning signs ignored for so long?
Even people who say they knew nothing of Brand’s crimes have described his behaviour towards women as an “open secret”. In 2004 Jonathan Ross joked about Walliams “going home with a 15-year-old” in front of a packed audience at the British Comedy Awards.
Those details matter because sexual predators rarely operate in complete secrecy. Too often there are rumours, concerns, warning signs and witnesses. Too often people look the other way.
This should be a moment for women – for every woman reading these stories and recognising something of her own experiences in the headlines.
But it cannot be a fight for women alone. This is a moment for men to step up too. It is a moment to think honestly about the times we have laughed off sexist “banter”, witnessed inappropriate behaviour and said nothing, or chosen comfort over challenge when faced with misogyny.
As General Secretary of the TUC, I know the trade union movement has its own responsibility to confront these issues. We have a duty to tackle sexism where it exists and to help make workplaces safer for everyone. Because workplace culture is at the heart of many of these stories.
The uncomfortable truth is that even in 2026 too many workplaces still have cultures and systems that allow abuse to flourish and fail women when they report it. Half of women say they have experienced sexual harassment at work. The risks are even higher for Black women, disabled women, younger women and LGBT+ women.
In most cases the perpetrator is a male colleague. Nearly one in five women say the harassment came from their direct manager or another person with power over them.
That is why new workplace protections introduced by the government last month are so important. For the first time employers have a legal duty to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment, including harassment by customers, clients and other third parties. This is a significant shift.
The burden should never have been on women to protect themselves. The responsibility belongs to employers to create workplaces where harassment is prevented, challenged and dealt with.
But passing a law is only the start. The government has promised to set out clearly what employers must do to meet their new responsibilities. Ministers now need to get on with it so every employer understands exactly what is expected of them.
There are not just a “few bad apples”. Sexual predators exist in television studios, offices, warehouses, hospitals, shops, and yes, in the trade union movement too. They thrive in cultures where complaints are dismissed, rumours are ignored and too many people stay silent.
Changing that culture is the challenge before us. And if this week’s events teach us anything it is that silence protects perpetrators. Speaking up protects women. Now is the time to make sure we never confuse the two again.
Rape Crisis England & Wales is the feminist charity working to end child sexual abuse, rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment and all other forms of sexual violence. Call the free 24/7 Support Line on 0808 500 2222 or chat online at 247sexualabusesupport.org.uk.