In 2018, Fafo conducted a survey on experiences with sexual harassment in the workplace in the field of film, TV, theatres, music and gaming in Norway. The survey was carried out in the wake of the #metoo movement in the autumn of 2017, which revealed that the cultural sector was an arena where many women had experienced sexual harassment at work. We repeated the survey in 2025 among the same occupational groups and mostly used the same questionnaire and methodology as in 2018. The response rate, however, was lower in 2025 (8 per cent) compared to 2018 (39 per cent). Of those who responded, 46 per cent were men and 54 per cent were women; the same as in the 2018 survey. The median age of respondents was higher in 2025 (46 years) than in 2018 (41 years).
In 2025, 41 per cent reported having experienced sexual harassment at some point during their careers, a somewhat higher proportion than in 2018 (32 per cent). Four per cent reported experiencing sexual harassment in the preceding 12 months, while 5 per cent said their most recent experience occurred 1–3 years ago. These proportions are at the same level as in 2018.
In both 2018 and 2025, far more women than men reported experiencing sexual harassment in the preceding three years: 16 and 5 per cent of women and men respectively in 2018, and 12 per cent and 6 per cent in 2025. The younger the respondent, the more likely they were to report having experienced sexual harassment in the workplace, even after the #metoo movement.
Colleagues are most frequently identified as the perpetrators of sexual harassment, but a significant number also reported that their supervisor or manager was responsible, and this was particularly true in cases of verbal sexual harassment. Sexual harassment occurs in a variety of contexts, but 42 per cent of those who had been harassed reported that it happened in social settings within the industry, or during work-related situations, such as rehearsals, performances or recordings (40 per cent).
Sexual harassment has consequences. Many report poor job satisfaction as a result of sexual harassment (45 per cent), a significant number also experience mental health issues (20 per cent) and some want to leave their job (19 per cent).
Sexual harassment is unacceptable and must be addressed by management, but trade unions, employee representatives, health and safety officers, and other parties can also get involved. In 2025, 15 per cent of respondents had not reported sexual harassment they had experienced. The corresponding figure in 2018 was 70 per cent. In other words, there has been a significant change in this area.
The increased number of reported incidents may be linked to greater awareness of these types of issues and more active efforts to address them. 35 per cent of respondents feel there has been a significant shift in attitudes towards sexual harassment in the industry in recent years. 31 per cent report that their employer and/or trade union has introduced measures to combat sexual harassment, with informal and formal complaint procedures being the most common.
