Moreover, by virtue of being less adversarial than court proceedings, mediation can avoid damaging the relationship between employers and employees prior to a resolution being reached. This is especially important in light of the risk that retaliation by employers may occur after a worker lodges a complaint. Designing a transparent structure of sanctions for wrongdoing and effectively enforcing them is the first step in the right direction. Equality bodies and labour inspectorates should be empowered to conduct investigations on their own initiative, so as to compensate for the fact that victims of abuse are often unwilling to file a complaint or cannot afford the costs of legal action.