Statizoid

Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment in South Africa

South Africa: Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment was 1 (1=yes; 0=no) in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
1 (1=yes; 0=no)
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
1st
of 188 countries
All-time high
1 (1=yes; 0=no)
in 2014
All-time low
0 (1=yes; 0=no)
in 1970
Years of data
54
1970–2023

Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment in South Africa, 1970–2023

00.20.40.60.81197019962023

Source: Women, Business and the Law; World Bank – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in (1=yes; 0=no).

Analysis

The most recent figure for criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment in South Africa is 1 (1=yes; 0=no), measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.

The figure is unchanged over five years.

Over the whole period, criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment in South Africa peaked at 1 (1=yes; 0=no) in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0 (1=yes; 0=no), in 1970.

That places South Africa 1st out of 188 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment in South Africa, year by year

Year (1=yes; 0=no) Change
1970 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1971 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1972 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1973 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1974 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1975 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1976 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1977 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1978 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1979 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1980 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1981 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1982 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1983 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1984 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1985 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1986 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1987 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1988 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1989 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1990 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1991 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1992 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1993 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1994 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1995 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1996 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1997 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1998 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
1999 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
2000 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
2001 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
2002 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
2003 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
2004 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
2005 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
2006 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
2007 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
2008 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
2009 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
2010 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
2011 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
2012 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
2013 0 (1=yes; 0=no) —
2014 1 (1=yes; 0=no) —
2015 1 (1=yes; 0=no) +0.0%
2016 1 (1=yes; 0=no) +0.0%
2017 1 (1=yes; 0=no) +0.0%
2018 1 (1=yes; 0=no) +0.0%
2019 1 (1=yes; 0=no) +0.0%
2020 1 (1=yes; 0=no) +0.0%
2021 1 (1=yes; 0=no) +0.0%
2022 1 (1=yes; 0=no) +0.0%
2023 1 (1=yes; 0=no) +0.0%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 1 (1=yes; 0=no) is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1 (1=yes; 0=no), 1.0× the median. (55 countries reporting)
  • South Africa's 1 (1=yes; 0=no) is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1 (1=yes; 0=no), 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 0 (1=yes; 0=no) 0 (1=yes; 0=no) 0 (1=yes; 0=no) 10
1980s 0 (1=yes; 0=no) 0 (1=yes; 0=no) 0 (1=yes; 0=no) 10
1990s 0 (1=yes; 0=no) 0 (1=yes; 0=no) 0 (1=yes; 0=no) 10
2000s 0 (1=yes; 0=no) 0 (1=yes; 0=no) 0 (1=yes; 0=no) 10
2010s 0.6 (1=yes; 0=no) 0 (1=yes; 0=no) 1 (1=yes; 0=no) 10
2020s 1 (1=yes; 0=no) 1 (1=yes; 0=no) 1 (1=yes; 0=no) 4

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 1 Afghanistan 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  2. 1 Albania 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  3. 1 Algeria 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  4. 1 Angola 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  5. 1 Australia 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  6. 1 Austria 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  7. 1 Azerbaijan 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  8. 1 Bahamas 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  9. 1 Bahrain 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  10. 1 Barbados 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  11. 1 Belgium 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  12. 1 Belize 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  13. 1 Benin 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  14. 1 Bhutan 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  15. 1 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  16. 1 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  17. 1 Brazil 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  18. 1 Bulgaria 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  19. 1 Burkina Faso 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  20. 1 Burundi 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  21. 1 Cambodia 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  22. 1 Cameroon 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  23. 1 Canada 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  24. 1 Cape Verde 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  25. 1 Central African Republic 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  26. 1 Chad 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  27. 1 China 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  28. 1 Colombia 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  29. 1 Comoros 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  30. 1 Congo 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  31. 1 Costa Rica 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  32. 1 Côte d'Ivoire 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  33. 1 Croatia 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  34. 1 Cyprus 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  35. 1 Czechia 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  36. 1 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  37. 1 Denmark 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  38. 1 Djibouti 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  39. 1 Dominican Republic 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  40. 1 Ecuador 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  41. 1 Egypt 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  42. 1 El Salvador 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  43. 1 Equatorial Guinea 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  44. 1 Eritrea 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  45. 1 Estonia 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  46. 1 Ethiopia 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  47. 1 Fiji 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  48. 1 Finland 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  49. 1 France 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  50. 1 Gabon 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  51. 1 Georgia 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  52. 1 Germany 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  53. 1 Ghana 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  54. 1 Greece 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  55. 1 Guinea 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  56. 1 Guyana 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  57. 1 Honduras 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  58. 1 Hong Kong, China 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  59. 1 Iceland 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  60. 1 India 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  61. 1 Indonesia 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  62. 1 Iraq 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  63. 1 Ireland 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  64. 1 Israel 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  65. 1 Italy 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  66. 1 Jamaica 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  67. 1 Jordan 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  68. 1 Kenya 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  69. 1 Kiribati 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  70. 1 Kuwait 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  71. 1 Kyrgyzstan 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  72. 1 Latvia 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  73. 1 Lebanon 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  74. 1 Liberia 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  75. 1 Lithuania 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  76. 1 Luxembourg 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  77. 1 Madagascar 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  78. 1 Malawi 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  79. 1 Maldives 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  80. 1 Malta 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  81. 1 Mauritius 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  82. 1 Mexico 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  83. 1 Republic of Moldova 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  84. 1 Mongolia 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  85. 1 Montenegro 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  86. 1 Morocco 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  87. 1 Mozambique 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  88. 1 Nepal 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  89. 1 Netherlands 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  90. 1 New Zealand 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  91. 1 Nicaragua 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  92. 1 Niger 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  93. 1 Nigeria 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  94. 1 North Macedonia 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  95. 1 Norway 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  96. 1 Pakistan 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  97. 1 Panama 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  98. 1 Paraguay 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  99. 1 Peru 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  100. 1 Philippines 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  101. 1 Poland 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  102. 1 Portugal 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  103. 1 Puerto Rico 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  104. 1 Romania 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  105. 1 Rwanda 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  106. 1 Saint Lucia 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  107. 1 Samoa 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  108. 1 Sao Tome and Principe 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  109. 1 Saudi Arabia 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  110. 1 Senegal 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  111. 1 Serbia 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  112. 1 Sierra Leone 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  113. 1 Singapore 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  114. 1 Slovakia 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  115. 1 Slovenia 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  116. 1 Korea 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  117. 1 South Sudan 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  118. 1 Spain 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  119. 1 Sri Lanka 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  120. 1 Suriname 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  121. 1 Sweden 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  122. 1 Switzerland 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  123. 1 Tanzania, United Republic of 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  124. 1 Thailand 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  125. 1 Togo 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  126. 1 Tunisia 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  127. 1 Türkiye 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  128. 1 Uganda 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  129. 1 Ukraine 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  130. 1 United Arab Emirates 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  131. 1 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  132. 1 United States of America 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  133. 1 Uruguay 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  134. 1 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  135. 1 Viet Nam 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  136. 1 Zambia 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
  137. 1 Zimbabwe 1 (1=yes; 0=no) compare

See the full ranking of 188 places →

More work & labour data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment in South Africa?
Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment in South Africa was 1 (1=yes; 0=no) in 2023, according to Women, Business and the Law; World Bank – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 1 (1=yes; 0=no) in 2014.
What is the lowest criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 0 (1=yes; 0=no) in 1970.
How does South Africa rank for criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment?
South Africa ranks 1st out of 188 countries with data for 2023.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from Women, Business and the Law; World Bank – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Women, Business and the Law; World Bank – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/criminal-penalties-or-civil-remedies-sexual-harassment-in-employment/south-africa/

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<a href="https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/criminal-penalties-or-civil-remedies-sexual-harassment-in-employment/south-africa/">Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment in South Africa</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment
Unit
(1=yes; 0=no)
Source
Women, Business and the Law; World Bank – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
188 places, 10,152 data points, 1970–2023
Last refreshed

The law punishes sexual harassment at work with fines or prison, requires offenders to compensate victims, or allows victims to seek civil remedies even after losing their job.