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Though she has only been working in the private security industry for a few months, Michelle* says she has faced repeated instances of sexual harassment, with no support from her superiors.

"The first time it happen, mi deh pan duty and the man just start touch touch mi," she recalled. "Mi call mi supervisor and say, 'Come talk to yuh co-worker.'" But she didn't push further.

"Mi just get the work, and mi have three pickney inna government care weh mi a try get back," she told THE STAR. "Mi never wah report it because mi nuh wah lose the job." The children were placed in state care after their father was accused of abuse.

Michelle said her supervisor promised to address the incident but she was simply reassigned. At the new location, she said she faced similar harassment. She described another incident involving a senior staff member who allegedly touched her while she was signing a timesheet.

"Him put him hand round mi back, pon mi bottom and mi hips, and seh, 'Yuh body feel good... yuh sexy,'" she said. "Mi seh yes, mi sexy, but that nuh mean yuh fi violate mi rights." Michelle said the harassment has made her paranoid, but feels she cannot leave the job as it will hamper her chances of regaining custody of her children.

"The judge say mi need a stable job and mi need mi own place before dem come home. So mi a try hard."

Michelle said she has also seen inappropriate relationships between other staff members, but that when the women set boundaries, some are punished with dismissal.

"These are strangers. Yuh say no, and next thing, yuh off di schedule." Michelle said she even attempted to resign on one occasion.

"Mi carry back mi uniform. And the man seh him nah fire mi, him just a go switch mi location. Mi cya understand, why when mi try leave, it feel like a death sentence?"

Her story is not unique, but it now has a pathway for redress. In June, the Jamaican government formally launched its Sexual Harassment Tribunal under the Sexual Harassment (Protection and Prevention) Act, passed in 2021. The tribunal has 14 sworn members and 18 authorised officers empowered to investigate workplace misconduct and enforce penalties. The Act mandates that all employers create and communicate a sexual harassment policy, provide regular training, and establish internal systems for reporting.

But Michelle said the training she received "don't match the real job". Despite reporting her experience, she said the alleged perpetrator remained on-site with her.

"Mi nuh want lose mi work. Mi just want people fi respect mi boundary."

*Name changed to protect identity