Air traffic controllers in Australian airports say they are working in a "boys' club" where they are too afraid to report bullying or sexual harassment.
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One in two workers at Airservices Australia reported being bullied, while one in five reported being sexually harassed, according to the damning review by Sex Discrimination commissioner Elizabeth Broderick.
It has led the government-owned corporation to promise sweeping cultural changes.
"Airservices will implement the report's recommendations in full to ensure that we offer a safe, diverse and inclusive workplace for all of our employees," Airservices Australia chief executive Jason Harfield said.
"The report contains deeply disappointing reports of bullying, harassment and workplace exclusion that are completely unacceptable to me and the senior leadership team at Airservices. This behaviour has no place in any workplace and must stop."
Through a survey of around 2000 workers and interviews with approximately 200 staff, Ms Broderick and the review team heard overwhelmingly of the aviation company's "toxic" culture.
"The culture here is extremely poor. It's a boys' club. If you are not in with the right people, you're pushed aside," one worker reported.
"The culture [in this Tower] is totally toxic. It's like Lord of the Flies or Animal Farm," another said.
Others reported being scared of management, with a "culture of silence and of targeting people who complain".
"The culture here is just pretty much toe the line, don't question anything, don't have a different idea about something, don't stick your neck out and you will be OK," one worker said.
Women in the organisation reported receiving sexual comments from their co-workers and managers.
"[My manager said to me once] Why are you staying back at work? Do you want to f--k me? You should wear a dress. We can see your underpants," one woman said.
"On a daily basis I will be ... subjected to conversations about sex and other inappropriate topics. Once, the words 'no means yes and yes means harder' were shouted across the room while everyone laughed," another said.
Staff were reluctant to report bullying, with some indicating they had been subjected to reprisals.
Only 15 per cent of those surveyed said they had reported their most recent bullying incident, 63 per cent saying it wouldn't make a difference. Another 63 per cent said there would be negative consequences for their career while 55 per cent said there would be negative consequences for their reputation.
Women were more likely to fear blowback, with 32 per cent failing to report bullying because they thought it would make it worse, compared to 23 per cent of men.
Nearly half (49 per cent) of people who did report bullying felt they were labelled as a troublemaker, 30 per cent felt ostracised or victimised and 26 per cent felt they had been denied workplace opportunities such as training or promotion.
The union representing Airservices Australia said the findings of the review were deeply disappointing.
"The findings of the Airservices review are staggering, and illustrate a culture which is completely unacceptable in any Australian workplace," Professionals Australia said,.
