Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton has apologised to staff over the findings of a damning report on sexual harassment within the police force.

The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) has found a high prevalence and tolerance of sexual harassment within Victoria Police, as well as substantial evidence of sexual discrimination and gender inequality.

Key points: 40pc of women surveyed said they had been sexually harassed

40pc of women surveyed said they had been sexually harassed More female officers harassed than in Defence Force

More female officers harassed than in Defence Force Staff too scared to report harassment

Staff too scared to report harassment Report recommendations to be implemented, including a new complaints system

The VEOHRC survey of more than 5,000 officers and staff found 40 per cent of women said they had been sexually harassed, resulting in significant harm to the mental and physical health of many officers.

The commission found there was a chronic underreporting of incidents, with staff too scared about the personal and professional repercussions of making a complaint.

Mr Ashton said there was need for broad cultural change.

"There were some ugly stories in those reports. Some of our people told us some terrible experiences," he said.

"They had undergone discrimination. They'd undergone harassment, they'd undergone predatory behaviour and this includes general exclusionary behaviour, right through to criminal offending.

"This is our people telling us things aren't right."

In one incident in the report, a woman said she was pursued and raped by a male colleague.

"I did not know what to do. I felt trapped. Another woman had spoken out before and was labelled a slut, so I did not raise it," the woman said.

Police Minister Wade Noonan said he was saddened by the report.

"I think anyone who reads the contents of this particular report will find it deeply disturbing and confronting," he said.

"I think the report will change Victoria Police forever and there'll certainly be no turning back from this point."

Mr Ashton said all 20 recommendations would be implemented.

"The change starts today. Our response to this report will be all encompassing," he said.

The recommendations include a new complaints system, reforms to the disciplinary system, recruiting more women and fast-tracking female officers to supervisory roles.

Sexual harassment has caused harm to the mental health of many Victoria Police officers, a report says. ( ABC News: Margaret Burin )

Victims to be able to seek redress

The report also outlined a redress scheme for victims of harassment.

It would come in the form of acknowledging the harm caused to victims and providing them with a safe environment to talk about what has happened to them.

It would also provide for financial and non-financial reparations.

"We're talking with the Australian Defence Force about their experience in this area, how they constructed their scheme," Mr Ashton said.

"We'll have to put a scheme in place that does look at redress so I'll be talking with government about that."

Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius will take charge of implementing the recommendations from the report.

From today, police members will be able to access a safe space, where they can discuss issues of concern without making a formal complaint.

"The safe space is supported by a 24/7 hotline where serving members of Victoria Police who would not otherwise make complaints for the many reasons that are highlighted in the report: fear of reprisals, concern about a lack of support and about repercussions in the workforce," Mr Cornelius said.

"One of the key reasons we're doing this is because at the moment members can only access support and specialist advice after they've made a complaint."

The Police Association of Victoria said it would give its full backing for change.

'Women in force experience more harassment than those in ADF'

Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner Kate Jenkins said more female police officers have experienced harassment than those in the Defence Force.

"I think police have been surprised ... that they have a particular environment where people seem to be more at risk because of the insular nature of the workplace," she said.

"The general results showed us there was a normalisation and a minimisation of the everyday sexual harassment and sexism that wasn't even acknowledged by police as inappropriate."

The report showed more women in Victoria Police experienced sexual harassment (40 per cent) compared to the average of 33 per cent in the community and 25 per cent in Australian Defence Force.

The most common form of harassment was sexually suggestive comments or jokes.

Seven per cent of men surveyed said they had experienced sexual harassment.

Ms Jenkins said the experience created barriers for women in Victoria Police.

"It has created a daily experience of isolation for some that caused harm," she said.

Former Victorian police commissioner Christine Nixon said she was not surprised by the report. ( Glenn Hunt: AAP, file photo )

The report also showed that two thirds of women and more than half of men in the force had witnessed sexual harassment in the workplace.

Gay men were six times more likely than men overall to have been sexually harassed by a colleague in the last five years.

The report found that women said they felt they were regarded as less competent than their male colleagues and constantly needed to prove themselves.

"Women get intimidated, stood over, spoken over, excluded and overlooked — all day, every day — in this job. Because of their gender," one respondent said, according to the report.

Former Victorian police commissioner Christine Nixon said she was not surprised by the report.

"I've been in the police since 1972, so I'm aware of this issue and have been part of attempting to reform policing for most of that time," she said.

"I don't think [change] is impossible, but it's extraordinarily difficult."