Workplace sexual harassment is associated with poor mental well-being among employees at a large Swedish university

BACKGROUND

Sexual harassment (SH) is a persistent problem at workplaces around the world, including academia.

OBJECTIVE

This study examines the association between SH and mental well-being among employees at Lund University (LU) in Sweden.

METHODS

Data was obtained from a cross-sectional survey targeting all LU employees in 2019. SH exposure was measured using a ten-item scale capturing SH experiences and enabling the differentiation between soliciting and non-soliciting types of SH. Validated instruments were used to measure two aspects of mental well-being; mental health (GHQ-12) and vitality (SF-36 vitality scale). Association between SH exposure and outcome variables was investigated through multivariable logistic regression analysis adjusting for confounders. Modifying effects of gender, age, background and academic position, respectively, on the relation between SH and outcomes were studied.

RESULTS

Workplace SH was associated with poor mental health (PMH) (OR 1.5 (95% CI 1.1-2.0)) and low vitality (LV) (OR 1.8 (95% CI 1.3-2.5)) among women and with LV (OR 2.0 (95% CI 1.1-3.9)) among men, after adjusting for confounders. Among women, experiences of non-soliciting and soliciting SH combined were associated with PMH and LV. Among men, experiences of non-soliciting SH behaviours exclusively were associated with LV. Indications of synergistic interaction affecting the association between SH and LV were found related to age, background and academic position, but not gender.

CONCLUSIONS

Workplace SH is a significant risk factor for poor mental well-being, primarily among female, but also among male university employees. These findings can inform local policies for prevention of SH.

Gender Prototypes Hinder Bystander Intervention in Women's Sexual Harassment

Bystander intervention is a powerful response to sexual harassment that reduces victims' burden to respond. However, gender prototypes depicting sexual harassment victims as prototypical women (i.e., stereotypically feminine) may hinder intervention when harassment targets women who deviate from this prototype. Across four preregistered experiments (N = 1,270 Americans), we test whether bystanders intervene less readily in nonprototypical (vs. prototypical) women's sexual harassment. Participants observed a man manager ask a series of increasingly sexually harassing job interview questions toward either a gender prototypical or nonprototypical woman by traits (Studies 1-3) or gender identity (Study 4). Participants were instructed to intervene to stop the interview if/when they judged the questions as inappropriate. A meta-analysis revealed participants had a greater threshold for intervention when harassment targeted a nonprototypical (vs. prototypical) woman-a small but meaningful effect. Efforts to foster bystander intervention in sexual harassment would benefit by recognizing this neglect of nonprototypical women.

Distinct roles of early life deprivation and unpredictability in shaping mating-related behaviours and sexual harassment perceptions

Background

Evolutionary-developmental theories propose that early life adversity (ELA) shapes mating patterns. However, evidence is mixed, and the extent to which ELA influences attitudes and perceptions remains underexplored. This research takes a dimensional approach to examine how different forms of ELA relate to mating outcomes and social perceptions in men across two distinct samples.

Methods

Study 1 analysed a U.S. sample (N = 1036) using Add Health Wave V data. Study 2 examined a Chinese sample (N = 292), collecting data on childhood SES, childhood environmental unpredictability, sociosexual orientation, and perceptions of sexual harassment.

Results

Study 1 found that financial deprivation was associated with a higher number of partner pregnancies and live births but not with the number of sexual partners. Study 2 revealed that childhood unpredictability was positively associated with misperceptions of sexual interest, defined as perceiving mutual romantic interest even when one party experiences unwanted sexual attention. Additionally, childhood SES was positively associated with misperceptions of sexual interest but negatively associated with recognising boundary violations.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that ELA may influence mating-related outcomes through distinct pathways: childhood unpredictability shapes sociosexual orientation, while deprivation-based adversity involves more multifaceted mechanisms, such as cognitive socialisation processes. This research underscores the need for more nuanced predictions within life history theory and highlights the importance of integrating frameworks that account for the cognitive and developmental consequences of deprivation.

Predictors of Sexual Harassment Using Classification and Regression Tree Analyses and Hurdle Models: A Direct Replication

Sexual harassment affects a large percentage of higher education students in the US. A previous study identified several risk factors for sexual harassment using hurdle models and classification and regression tree (CART) analyses. The purpose of the present study was to assess the robustness of these findings by replicating the analyses with a new sample of students. Secondary data analysis was conducted using data from 9,552 students from two- and four-year colleges. Hurdle model coefficients were assessed for replicability based on statistical significance and consistency of the replication effect size relative to the original effect size. Kotzé et al.'s findings were robust, with 91% of all tested effects meeting at least one of two replication criteria in the hurdle models and 88% of the variables replicating in the CARTs. Being younger, consuming alcohol more frequently, attending a four-year college, and having experienced more prior victimization and adversity were important predictors of peer harassment whereas being LGBQ+ was an important predictor of sexual harassment from faculty/staff. These findings can inform targeted prevention and intervention programs. More research is needed to understand why certain demographic and contextual variables are associated with greater harassment risk.

Workplace sexual harassment: a qualitative study of the self-labelling process among employees in Denmark

PURPOSE

To explore how employees understand work-related sexual harassment and label their experience.

METHODS

This study is based on 13 semi-structured in-depth interviews with employees exposed to workplace sexual harassment. We analysed the data using a thematic approach drawing on frameworks of sensemaking in organizations.

RESULTS

We identified four major themes. The first two themes, distinguishing between sexual harassment and unwanted sexual attention and labelling real life sexual harassment, outline the interviewees' definitions of the two terms "sexual harassment" and "unwanted sexual harassment" and reveal the challenges of labelling sexually harassing behaviours at work. The last two themes; making the connection and negotiating boundaries and labels, explain the sensemaking process, i.e., how the interviewees come to understand and label their experience.

CONCLUSION

The analysis showed that the interviewees related sexual harassment with physical, coercive, and intentional behaviours, whereas unwanted sexual attention was seen as less severe and less intentional. The interviewees often doubted how to label their experience, and making sense of one´s experience could take years. Self-labelling is inherently a social process, and the validation and rejection of others play an important role. Finally, the #MeToo movement constituted a turning point for several interviewees' understandings of events.

Adults' and children's reasoning about the potential of diverse groups

Introduction

In two experiments, we examine the degree to which adults (Experiment 1) and children 5-to-8-years-old (Experiment 2) use diversity to infer a group's cooperative and innovative potential.

Methods

Participants heard a child-friendly vignette about a competition in which a homogenous and diverse group were competing to design the perfect toy. They were then probed using questions related to the group's innovative potential and cooperative potential and asked to justify their responses.

Results

Results show that adults believed that the diverse group would produce the more innovative product, while children endorsed the homogenous group. When asked a question probing cooperation, adults selected the homogenous group, whereas children were equally likely to select either group. Analysis of adults' explanations showed their explanations differed depending on which group they endorsed. However, children's explanations did not show this nuance. Exploratory analyses suggest that participants' responses were influenced by their personal experiences with gender and racial diversity.

Discussion

People's appreciation of the link between group diversity and group potential changes across the lifespan likely due to life experiences.

Workplace-Sexual-Harassment Victimization and Employee Wellbeing Among LGBTQ+ and Non-LGBTQ+ Employees

Workplace sexual harassment represents a critical risk to contemporary organizations, with evidence indicating that its prevalence is increasing. Research has consistently demonstrated that workplace-sexual-harassment victimization exerts negative impacts on employees' health and wellbeing. However, no empirical studies have examined how these impacts vary by lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ+) status. In this study, we leverage a unique survey dataset (2022 Australian Workplace Equality Index Employee Survey, n = 44,943) and random-intercept, multilevel regression models to estimate the relationships between workplace-sexual-harassment victimization and employee wellbeing. Expanding on earlier studies, we consider how these relationships vary between LGBTQ+ and other employees, across domains of employee wellbeing, and with the timing of sexual harassment. Our results reveal large, negative, and statistically significant impacts of sexual harassment on employee wellbeing. The impacts are comparatively larger for LGBTQ+ employees and recent harassment experiences, and manifest across all domains of employee wellbeing. These findings underscore the urgent need for holistic programs to combat workplace sexual harassment, and the importance of connecting these programs with diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Impact of discrimination on training and career of radiation oncologists in France

Purpose

In France, radiation oncologists are predominantly men with only 44 % of women. Many studies have highlighted gender disparities in medicine. The main objective of our study was to assess the impact of discriminations on radiation oncologists' career.

Materials and methods

An anonymous online questionnaire, adapted from the one used by the ESMO W4O group, was sent to all radiation oncologists in France between March and June 2022. It included questions related to professional experience, gender, socio-ethnicity, sexual orientation, and personal life.

Results

Among the 999 radiation oncologists and 168 residents in France, 225 questionnaires were collected (19.2 %). Among the respondents, 60 % were women and 25 % were residents. The mean age was 39.2 years (range: 25-78). The career satisfaction rate was 92 %, with no gender difference. Gender was considered to have a negative impact on the career development by 65 % of women. Social origin was an obstacle to career development for 37 % of all the respondents, and ethnic origin for 25 %. Sixty two percent of women reported having experienced inappropriate behavior or sexual harassment in their workplace, 38 % felt that having a child had "extremely" or "very" much impacted their career versus 8.5 % of men (p < 0.001). The most popular proposals for improvement were the creation of a network of women radiation oncologists with specific educational programs and the addition of quotas in institutions and key positions.

Conclusions

This study is the first one assessing the various type of discrimination experienced by radiation oncologists in France. We make a few proposals for improvement of training and working conditions, regardless of the origin and gender.

Blurred Ideas: How Perpetrator Behavior, Target Response, and Observer Gender Can Influence Perceptions of Workplace Sexual Harassment

Despite increasing awareness, sexual harassment remains a significant concern in the workplace. The enduring problem of sexual harassment seems to persist due to a lack of clarity regarding what behaviors qualify as harassment. Furthermore, the interpretation of these behaviors is influenced by contextual and relational factors, contributing to the complexity of addressing and preventing such incidents. This study builds on existing research by investigating how the severity of sexually harassing behavior, the response from the target, and the gender of the participant contribute to labeling behavior as sexual harassment. Using an online experimental scenario-based survey, 1,700 (850 female, 850 male) currently employed participants were presented with a single workplace scenario that manipulated the severity of the sexual harassment behavior and the target's response. Participants were then asked to assess the appropriateness of the behavior, label it as sexual harassment or not, and rate their confidence in their labeling decision. The results revealed that less severe sexual harassment behaviors, targets who displayed interest, and male participants were more likely to perceive the behavior as less inappropriate and were less inclined to label it as sexual harassment. These findings have implications for shaping the definition of sexual harassment and designing training programs for heightened awareness.

Prevalence of online sexual harassment and online bullying: a nationwide survey among high school students in Denmark

Background

Using data from a nationwide survey among high school students in Denmark, the aim of the current study is to measure the prevalence of online bullying and online sexual harassment and assess gender and age differences in exposure.

Methods

We used data from the Danish National Youth Study 2019, which is a nationwide web survey among high school students, including general, commercial, preparatory and technical high schools. Data were collected from January to April 2019 through a self-administered questionnaire in the classroom. A total of 29,086 students participated (response rate: 66%). The survey included questions about online sexual harassment (victimization and perpetration) and online bullying.

Results

Approximately 11% of students reported receiving sexually offensive inquiries online, and about 10% received a sexual image/video of others without the subjects' consent. Additionally, 4% experienced that other people shared a sexual image/video of them without their consent within the last 12 months. The most common type of online bullying was feeling ignored by others online (25%), followed by someone spreading rumors or writing nasty things about them (13%), and receiving threats/unpleasant messages (12%). Gender results were mixed.

Gender-based violence and harassment at work and health and occupational outcomes. A systematic review of prospective studies

BACKGROUND

Many people experience forms of gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) in the context of their work. This includes a wide range of experiences, from subtle expressions of hostility to physical assault, that can also be of a sexual nature (e.g., sexual harassment or assault). This systematic review aimed to summarize findings about the prospective associations of work-related GBVH with people's health and occupational situation.

METHODS

We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Scopus, Web of Science, MEDLINE and PsycINFO were searched for prospective studies in English from 1990 to May 24, 2023. Studies were included if they concerned a working population, exposure to any form of GBVH in the work context, and a health outcome or manifest occupational outcome. Quality was assessed with a modified version of the Cochrane 'Tool to Assess Risk of Bias in Cohort Studies', and studies assessed as low quality were excluded from the narrative synthesis. For the narrative synthesis, we grouped the results by similar exposures and outcomes and reported the strength and statistical significance of the associations.

RESULTS

Of the 1 937 screened records, 29 studies were included in the narrative synthesis. Studies were mainly conducted in the USA and northern Europe and investigated exposure to sexual violence or harassment (SVH). Only two included studies investigated non-sexual kinds of GBVH. Consistently, studies showed associations of work-related SVH with poor mental health and there were indications of an association with hazardous substance use. There was no consistent evidence for an association of SVH with subsequent sickness absence, and there were too few studies concerning physical health and occupational outcomes to synthesize the results.

CONCLUSIONS

There is consistent evidence of work-related SVH as a risk factor for subsequent poor mental health. There is no indication that the health consequences of SVH differ between women and men, although women are more often affected. There is a need for conceptual consistency, the consideration of non-sexual behaviors and prospective studies that test clear hypotheses about the temporal sequence of events.

Perceived Workplace Discrimination on the Basis of Parent Status in Australia: Who Is Vulnerable and How Does It Link to Mothers' and Fathers' Mental Health?

OBJECTIVE

This study focused on employees' perceived discrimination due to parenthood; and mental health, occupational stress and turnover intention. Methods: Survey (2016) of an Australian convenience sample of employed parents: women ( n = 2950) and men ( n = 1318). Results: Forty-two percent of all mothers reported missing out on promotion ( n = 1234/2950); one-third reported negative comments from managers ( n = 805/2950, 27%) or colleagues ( n = 832/2950, 28%). One in five fathers reported these forms of discrimination. In adjusted analyses, perceived discrimination was associated with poorer mental health (β = 0.23, P < 0.001); higher occupational stress (β = 0.30, P < 0.001); and increased odds of turnover intention (adjusted odds ratio = 1.5, P < 0.001) for mothers; and poorer mental health (β = 0.34, P < 0.001); stress (β = 0.35, P < 0.001); and increased odds of turnover intention (adjusted odds ratio = 1.7, P < 0.001) for fathers. Conclusions: Experiences of negativity and hostility at work are common and link to employee health and well-being.

The relationship between gender discrimination and wellbeing in middle-aged and older women

BACKGROUND

Emerging evidence suggests that perceived gender discrimination negatively impacts mental wellbeing in young women.

PURPOSE

This study explored whether a similar relationship exists in middle-aged and older women.

METHODS

A total of 3081 women (aged ≥52 years) from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing provided data on perceived gender discrimination in 2010/11. Depressive symptoms, loneliness, quality of life and life satisfaction were assessed in 2010/11 and in 2016/17.

RESULTS

Perceived gender discrimination was reported by 282 (9.2%) participants. Cross-sectionally, women who perceived gender discrimination reported more depressive symptoms (β = 0.34, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.57) and had higher loneliness scores (β = 0.14, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.20) than women who did not perceive gender discrimination. They also reported significantly lower quality of life (β = -2.50, 95% CI -3.49 to -1.51) and life satisfaction (β = -1.07, 95% CI -1.81 to -0.33). Prospectively, perceived gender discrimination was associated with greater loneliness scores (β = 0.08, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.14), as well as lower ratings of quality of life (β = -0.98, 95% CI -0.09 to -1.86), and life satisfaction (β = -1.04, 95% CI -0.34 to -1.74), independent of baseline values.

CONCLUSIONS

Middle-aged and older women who perceive gender discrimination report poorer mental wellbeing than those who do not perceive discrimination. Further, this type of discrimination may be predictive of declining mental wellbeing over time. These findings highlight the need for interventions to target gender-based discrimination to improve the wellbeing of women at mid- and older age.

We get affected too: Women's occupational safety and health hazards in the fish processing subsector in Tanzania demystified

While there have been numerous studies in the occupational safety and health hazards (OSHHs') domain in the heavy and beleaguered manufacturing industries, where men are quantitatively dominant, the same level of attention has not been accorded to lighter and small-medium enterprises such as the fish processing subsector, where most women sell their labour-power. This apathy is the failure to acknowledge the existence of numerous OSHHs and their gendered-differentiated effects in such spaces. This paper demonstrates how women got affected in less considered environments, particularly the fish processing subsector. The findings used in this paper were obtained from the study conducted in the five fish processing plants (FPPs) in Tanzania, which involved 157 respondents. Questionnaires, focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and observations were used to collect data. Findings revealed that women in the FPPs were confronted with various OSHHs emanating from the physical, environmental, mental, psychological, and cultural domains that significantly affected their health in the short and long run. Thus, a gender-based analysis in studying, recommending, and addressing OSHHs is highly recommended.

Workplace bullying and sexual harassment at work among hotel housekeepers in the Balearic Islands (Spain)

Introduction

Hotel housekeepers are close to being a 100% feminized occupational group in Spain. This fact, coupled with some features of the job, places them at high risk of sexual harassment at work and bullying in the workplace. This study aims to explore experiences of sexual harassment at work and workplace bullying among hotel housekeepers in the Balearic Islands. Second, it aims to describe and estimate the prevalence of both phenomena.

Methods

This is a mixed-methods study. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with key informants, and six focus groups were held with hotel housekeepers. Additionally, a quantitative cross-sectional study (n = 1,043) was undertaken.

Results

Most participants in focus groups had been sexually harassed at work. However, they had normalized this kind of situations, not labeling themselves as victims of sexual harassment; and harassment events were seen as unimportant, normal, and unquestioned, as well as being part of their daily work. Hotel housekeepers who were sexually harassed indicated high levels of stress at work and low social support. The prevalence of different workplace bullying behaviors was quite high among hotel housekeepers working in the Balearic Islands. Some were associated with poorer self-rated health, less satisfaction with the job and the salary, lower social support, and higher levels of stress. Despite this, qualitative methods informed us that less severe behaviors were normalized and perceived by hotel housekeepers as intrinsic to their job.

Discussion

The results show the high tolerance to less severe expressions of sexual harassment at work and workplace bullying, as well as difficulties in or reluctance to labeling this kind of experiences as such.

Investigating the Culture Around Sexual Harassment in First-Generation Universities in Southwestern Nigeria: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study

BACKGROUND

The phenomenon of sexual harassment (SH) is a complex issue with multiple prongs that concerns all members of academia and raises serious challenges, particularly regarding prevention and response. SH in tertiary institutions remains a huge problem worldwide, leading to severe emotional, academic, and career difficulties, as well as undue suffering. Institutions have responded in various ways to alleviate the burden of SH with little success, especially in Nigeria. The prevalence is high but reportage is low because of the culture of silence around SH in most educational institutions. This study aims to identify factors associated with SH in tertiary institutions in Nigeria and explore factors surrounding reportage or nonreportage following the experience of SH, the institutional mechanisms to prevent and respond to SH, and the lived experience of survivors of SH.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to present a study protocol that is designed to identify factors associated with the experience of SH in tertiary institutions in Nigeria, the institutional mechanisms to prevent and respond to SH, and the lived experience of survivors of SH.

METHODS

A mixed (quantitative and qualitative) methods approach is used consisting of a policy review of existing antisexual harassment policies in the selected universities, a quantitative survey to determine the correlates of SH, focus group discussions to explore the perspectives of the university community concerning SH, in-depth interviews to explore the lived experiences of survivors of SH, and key informant interviews to understand the perspectives of people who provide interventions to survivors.

RESULTS

This study was funded in July 2022 by the Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa, and data collection started in November 2022. The SH policies were comprehensive, with clear policy statements and definitions, and recognized a wide range of survivors and perpetrators. However, there was no clear mention of prevention and response to same-sex SH. Lived experiences showed negative psychological and social sequelae and little institutional support.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study that has a component investigating same-sex SH in tertiary institutions in Nigeria. This is also one of the first studies to explore the lived experiences of survivors of SH in Nigerian universities. The findings from this study suggest that periodic evaluation of SH policy implementation will improve institutional support, thus creating safe spaces for survivors and will thereby encourage reportage and support; prevention and response strategies need to be more inclusive; and more interventions should focus on strengthening prosocial skills and healthy, equitable relationships.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/49126.

Influence of a sexism and sexual harassment prevention course on medical students' perceptions of and responses to problematic situations

BACKGROUND

Issues of sexism and sexual harassment within the medical field are widespread. The aim of his study was to describe the influence of a training course on the prevention of sexism and sexual harassment on medical students' perceptions and responses to problematic situations in the workplace.

METHODS

We performed a secondary analysis of the transcripts of 16 medical students' interviews. The data were initially gathered as part of an external evaluation of the course. We decided to further explore these with a focus on potential changes about sexism and sexual harassment awareness induced by the course. Data were analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Most medical students were aware of the existence of sexism and sexual harassment in the medical environment before the course but were not always able to delineate what could be considered as such or not. The course allowed them to broaden their ability to identify problematic situations, that were somewhat "trivialized" before, and to set a lower cut-off when judging what constitutes sexism or sexual harassment. It also provided them with tools on how to react when confronted to these situations, as well as resources to seek help. However, students stressed the importance of such courses also being offered to medical staff higher up in the hierarchy, as they are the ones in a position of power.

CONCLUSIONS

The course helped students to better identify and react to sexism and sexual harassment. However, given students' lack of power within the hierarchy, efforts to prevent sexism and sexual harassment must be undertaken at an institutional level to allow for change in the system as a whole.

Sexual grooming processes carried out by offending rabbis toward religious men and their families

BACKGROUND

Research regarding sexual grooming in cases of sexual abuse by religious authorities (SARA) is limited, despite the assumption that many SARA cases go unreported. To the best of our knowledge there is no research regarding sexual grooming committed by rabbis who sexually abused Israeli Jewish religious men.

OBJECTIVE

The present study examined how Israeli religious SARA victims and their family members experienced sexual grooming carried out by offending rabbis.

METHODS

Based on a constructivist-phenomenological paradigm, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 16 formerly and/or currently still religious men who had been sexually abused by rabbis in their adolescence, and 14 of their family members.

RESULTS

In comparison to the Sexual Grooming Model (SGM), findings showcased that unlike other kinds of sex offenders, offending rabbis incorporated religious elements throughout the grooming process. Additionally, offending rabbis used different grooming tactics than did Catholic priests (e.g., offering joint religious studies with victims' family members; using religion to justify sexual discourse and contact).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings expand the SGM, enable a more complex understanding of the grooming processes in SARA, and emphasize the importance of further research focused on increasing the ability to use the SGM for detecting and preventing grooming behaviors.

Workplace violence in the COVID-19 era: a qualitative analysis of harassment and threats against public health professionals in Canada

Objectives

This study reports the results of a qualitative study involving public health professionals and documents their experiences with cyberviolence, harassment and threats during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method and analysis

The research adopted a discovery-oriented qualitative design, using constructivist grounded theory method and long interview style data collection. Twelve public health professionals from across Canada who held responsibility for COVID-19 response and public health measures in their respective jurisdictions participated. Constant comparative analysis was used to generate concepts through inductive processes.

Results

Data revealed a pattern that began with mainstream media engagement, moved to indirect cyberviolence on social media that fuelled outrage and polarisation of members of the public, followed by direct cyberviolence in the form of email abuse and threats, and finally resulted in physical threats and confrontation-which were then glorified and amplified on social media. The prolonged nature and intensity of harassment and threats led to negative somatic, emotional, professional and social outcomes. Concerns were raised that misinformation and comments undermining the credibility of public health professionals weakened public trust and ultimately the health of the population. Participants provided recommendations for preventing and mitigating the effects of cyber-instigated violence against public health professionals that clustered in three areas: better supports for public health personnel; improved systems for managing communications; and legislative controls on social media including reducing the anonymity of contributors.

Conclusion

The prolonged and intense harassment, abuse and threats against public health professionals during COVID-19 had significant effects on these professionals, their families, staff and ultimately the safety and health of the public. Addressing this issue is a significant concern that requires the attention of organisations responsible for public health and policy makers.

Sexual harassment in the workplace: Rituals as Prevention and Management Strategies in COVID-19 Crisis

This study aims to increase our understanding regarding the use of rituals as the prevention and management strategies for the external consequences resulting from sexual harassment in the workplace during the COVID-19 crisis. We conducted a qualitative study through semi-structured interviews (N = 30) with employees in five hospitals and analyzed the data with a grounded theory approach. The results indicated that rituals could positively influence reputation repair and legitimacy construction. Moreover, interaction patterns between organizations and stakeholders mediated the relationships between rituals and prevention and management results heterogeneously. Managerial perceptions, ritual factors and cultural factors influence rituals to achieve more effective results in terms of prevention and management. By presenting a process model illustrating rituals' unique capacity to prevent and manage the threats of workplace sexual harassment, we contribute to the literature on workplace sexual harassment and rituals in three ways. First, we extend the workplace sexual harassment literature by exploring prevention and management strategies for external consequence/reputation threats. Second, we present a process model to illustrate how rituals impact the results of sexual harassment prevention and management strategies. Third, we illustrate the mediating and moderating factors and their contributions toward developing better rituals that function in such prevention and management strategies.

Workplace Harassment, Cyber Incivility, and Climate in Academic Medicine

Importance

The culture of academic medicine may foster mistreatment that disproportionately affects individuals who have been marginalized within a given society (minoritized groups) and compromises workforce vitality. Existing research has been limited by a lack of comprehensive, validated measures, low response rates, and narrow samples as well as comparisons limited to the binary gender categories of male or female assigned at birth (cisgender).

Objective

To evaluate academic medical culture, faculty mental health, and their relationship.

Design, Setting, and Participants

A total of 830 faculty members in the US received National Institutes of Health career development awards from 2006-2009, remained in academia, and responded to a 2021 survey that had a response rate of 64%. Experiences were compared by gender, race and ethnicity (using the categories of Asian, underrepresented in medicine [defined as race and ethnicity other than Asian or non-Hispanic White], and White), and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ+) status. Multivariable models were used to explore associations between experiences of culture (climate, sexual harassment, and cyber incivility) with mental health.

Exposures

Minoritized identity based on gender, race and ethnicity, and LGBTQ+ status.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Three aspects of culture were measured as the primary outcomes: organizational climate, sexual harassment, and cyber incivility using previously developed instruments. The 5-item Mental Health Inventory (scored from 0 to 100 points with higher values indicating better mental health) was used to evaluate the secondary outcome of mental health.

Results

Of the 830 faculty members, there were 422 men, 385 women, 2 in nonbinary gender category, and 21 who did not identify gender; there were 169 Asian respondents, 66 respondents underrepresented in medicine, 572 White respondents, and 23 respondents who did not report their race and ethnicity; and there were 774 respondents who identified as cisgender and heterosexual, 31 as having LGBTQ+ status, and 25 who did not identify status. Women rated general climate (5-point scale) more negatively than men (mean, 3.68 [95% CI, 3.59-3.77] vs 3.96 [95% CI, 3.88-4.04], respectively, P < .001). Diversity climate ratings differed significantly by gender (mean, 3.72 [95% CI, 3.64-3.80] for women vs 4.16 [95% CI, 4.09-4.23] for men, P < .001) and by race and ethnicity (mean, 4.0 [95% CI, 3.88-4.12] for Asian respondents, 3.71 [95% CI, 3.50-3.92] for respondents underrepresented in medicine, and 3.96 [95% CI, 3.90-4.02] for White respondents, P = .04). Women were more likely than men to report experiencing gender harassment (sexist remarks and crude behaviors) (71.9% [95% CI, 67.1%-76.4%] vs 44.9% [95% CI, 40.1%-49.8%], respectively, P < .001). Respondents with LGBTQ+ status were more likely to report experiencing sexual harassment than cisgender and heterosexual respondents when using social media professionally (13.3% [95% CI, 1.7%-40.5%] vs 2.5% [95% CI, 1.2%-4.6%], respectively, P = .01). Each of the 3 aspects of culture and gender were significantly associated with the secondary outcome of mental health in the multivariable analysis.

Conclusions and Relevance

High rates of sexual harassment, cyber incivility, and negative organizational climate exist in academic medicine, disproportionately affecting minoritized groups and affecting mental health. Ongoing efforts to transform culture are necessary.

Incidence and Severity of Sexual Harassment, and its Impact on Mental Health in a Cohort of International Humanitarian Field-Workers

To date, there have been no cohort studies of sexual harassment incidence and its relation to mental health within humanitarian field-workers. Research among numerous occupations suggests an association between workplace sexual harassment and several health complaints. This study examined the incidence and severity of sexual harassment and its association with changes in mental health in a cohort of international humanitarian aid field-workers (iHAWs). Four hundred and seventy-eight iHAWs filled in questionnaires about sexual harassment, depression, anxiety, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as part of a larger study on health and well-being. Six percent of male and 18% of female iHAWs reported experiencing sexual harassment during their latest field assignment, with most reporting low levels of nonphysical forms of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment was predictive of negative changes in both depression and anxiety symptom severity between before and after an assignment for females; for males, it predicted negative changes in PTSD symptom severity. Sexual harassment did not predict utilization of mental healthcare services within 2 months after the end of assignment. The current findings are the first figures derived from a representative sample of iHAWs on the incidence of sexual harassment during a field assignment and show sexual harassment to be a relatively common and present issue. The findings are mostly in line with the extant literature and underscore the importance of attending to the issue of sexual harassment in the humanitarian sector.

Female Medical Students’ Experiences of Sexism during Clinical Placements: A Qualitative Study

In the UK, more women are studying medicine than men, most of whom have experienced sexism, yet these experiences are under-researched. This qualitative study explores female medical students’ experiences of sexism on placement, impacts sustained, barriers and facilitators encountered upon reporting. A total of 17 semi-structured interviews were conducted, employing purposive sampling, snowball sampling and an inductive thematic analysis. A qualitative methodology was underpinned by the feminist social constructionist theory. Four themes were identified: 1—experiences of sexism, comprising physical and verbal harassment and microaggressions; 2—negative impacts of sexist encounters ranged from psychosocial to repercussions on learning and development; 3—systemic and attitudinal barriers to reporting; 4—recommendations to tackle sexism shaped by the views and experiences of female medical student participants. Female medical students experienced wide-ranging sexism which negatively impacted their wellbeing with negative repercussions for their training and development. The barriers to reporting need to be urgently addressed, and systems, policies and processes need to be over-hauled to sensitively, effectively and equitably manage and provide justice to students who experience and report sexism. Students need to be empowered to respond, report and be offered psychological safety in doing so. Attitudes and practices which are complicit in sustaining sexism need to be challenged and changed.

"Fitting in whilst standing out": Identity flexing strategies of professional British women of African, Asian, and Caribbean ethnicities

INTRODUCTION

Professional British women of African, Asian, and Caribbean (AAC) ethnicities contend with unique challenges and experiences in the workplace. These challenges are often due to experiences that occur at the intersection of gender and ethnic identity, thus many professional white British women (of Anglo-Saxon decent), do not face the same challenges. AAC women are more often discriminated against, excluded from informal networks, and their contributions credited to someone else. We take an intersectional theoretical approach to better understand both the disadvantaged experiences and the possible advantaged experiences that British AAC women face, based on their experiences as AAC individuals, as women and as AAC women. The study seeks to 'give voice' to the experiences of AAC professional women, due to the limited amount of scholarship that adequately considers their workplace experiences. We consider the ways that their identity produces qualitatively different experiences determined by the context, by the nature of interpersonal encounters or by both the context and interpersonal encounters.

METHODS

We conduct real-time online written interviews and utilize thematic template analysis to understand whether AAC women strategically flex identity at work. We present four major themes. These are (1) the benefits of identity flexing, (2) the role of specific stereotypes, (3) context specific opportunities, and (4) the costs of identity flexing. We draw on literature that suggests that AAC women's identity experiences are not exclusively oppressive.

RESULTS

We find that unique experiences, occurring at the intersection of facets of identity may also yield forms of relative advantage, wherein individuals are able to adaptively leverage opportunities. Our results demonstrate that where the facets of one's identity are more varied, there might be more chance that the particular identity will be valued in a given social context. As a result, the individual may try to assimilate with certain identity groups (through flexing), as the context directs.

DISCUSSION

Nevertheless, engaging in identity flexing strategies has costs for women's well-being, such as needing to perform increased amounts of emotional labor and heightened feelings of frustration. Overall, these costs (as well as benefits), evidence the complex nature of identity flexing and the likely negative well-being implications that could ensue for the individual.

How Do People Come to Judge What Is "Reasonable"? Effects of Legal and Sociological Systems on Human Psychology

How do people decide what is reasonable? People often have to make those judgments, judgments that can influence tremendously consequential decisions-such as whether to indict someone in a legal proceeding. In this article, we take a situated cognition lens to review and integrate findings from social psychology, judgment and decision-making, communication, law, and sociology to generate a new framework for conceptualizing judgments of reasonableness and their implications for how people make decisions, particularly in the context of the legal system. We theorize that differences in structural and social contexts create information asymmetries that shape people's priors about what is and is not reasonable and how they update their priors in the face of new information. We use the legal system as a context for exploring the implications of the framework for both individual and collective decision-making and for considering the practical implications of the framework for inequities in law and social policy.

Prevalence and correlates of sexual harassment in professional service firms

Background

Despite their significance, limited research has been conducted on sexual harassment in professional service firms (PSFs).

Methods

Survey data were gathered from 321 Belgian employees (155 women, 166 men) of global accounting and law firms. The prevalence of sexual harassment in PSFs based on traditional sexual harassment items and not-man-enough harassment items was reported. Correlations of respondents' experiences with workplace sexual harassment with perceived acceptance of sexual harassment by one's peers (social norms), personality traits, and demographic and job-related factors were examined.

Results

Experiences of workplace sexual harassment were widespread in the current sample: 88.5% of women and 83.3% of men experienced at least once or twice some form of sexual harassment at work during the past 24 months. The most frequent types of sexual harassment reported are examples of (verbal) forms of gender harassment. Instances of traditional harassment were experienced equally often by men and women, while not-man-enough harassment was much more frequently experienced by women. Severe physical sexual harassment was less frequent. Workplace sexual harassment is positively correlated with perceived acceptance of sexual harassment by one's peers and negatively with job level.

Conclusions

Results of the current study align with research that links workplace sexual harassment with workplace culture and suggest that both men and women in PSFs experience enforcement of gender roles. It seems quintessential for firms to create working environments and cultures in which sexual harassment is clearly and unambiguously condemned and sanctioned.

Consequences of exposure to sexual harassment among women working in hospitality workplaces in Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia: a structural equation model

INTRODUCTION

Sexual harassment is undoubtedly widespread, and many countries have enacted laws to punish and prevent it as insulting behavior. However, its impacts on the job, psyche, and physical health, especially reproductive health, are still severe and noticeable. Thus, this study aimed to examine the impacts of sexual harassment on the job, psychology, physical health, and reproductive health of women in the hospitality industry.

METHODS

Institution-based cross-sectional survey was conducted between October 1 and November 30, 2021. Data were collected among 689 women who experienced sexual harassment in the hospitality industry. In selecting the participants, two-stage cluster sampling techniques were used. The data collection was carried out in two complementary ways. The model of structural equations examines the relationship between the experience of sexual harassment and coping with consequences. The associations were confirmed via AMOS 23.

RESULTS

Sexual harassment positively predicted job outcomes and negatively predicted physical health. In contrast, coping with sexual harassment positively predicts health at work and in the body and is negatively associated with health in reproduction. Physical health fully mediated the link between sexual harassment (β = 0.017, t = 0.85, p = 0.022) and reproductive health outcomes and partially mediated (β = -0.021, t = -1.235, p = 0.017) between sexual harassment coping and physical health. The interaction between sexual harassment experiences and work experiences also strengthens the negative relationship between sexual harassment experiences and physical health.

CONCLUSIONS

The impact of sexual harassment on women's reproductive health was investigated in this study. It expands awareness of the effects of sexual harassment exposure, how to survive it, and how to establish effective preventative strategies, particularly in the hospitality industry. Effective prevention depends on preventing psychological and physical health, ultimately improving reproductive health. Thus, safe workplace initiatives and reproductive health care services are needed. Hospitality organizations should also devise a strategy for providing a supportive environment that can significantly improve women's health.

Gender Inclusion and Fit in STEM

Despite progress made toward increasing women's interest and involvement in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), women continue to be underrepresented and experience less equity and inclusion in some STEM fields. In this article, I review the psychological literature relevant to understanding and mitigating women's lower fit and inclusion in STEM. Person-level explanations concerning women's abilities, interests, and self-efficacy are insufficient for explaining these persistent gaps. Rather, women's relatively lower interest in male-dominated STEM careers such as computer science and engineering is likely to be constrained by gender stereotypes. These gender stereotypes erode women's ability to experience self-concept fit, goal fit, and/or social fit. Such effects occur independently of intentional interpersonal biases and discrimination, and yet they create systemic barriers to women's attraction to, integration in, and advancement in STEM. Dismantling these systemic barriers requires a multifaceted approach to changing organizational and educational cultures at the institutional, interpersonal, and individual level.

Who posted #MeToo, why, and what happened: A mixed methods examination

Objectives

The #MeToo social media campaign raised awareness about sexual harassment. The purpose of the current study was to address three unexplored research questions. First, what factors influenced whether a person posted #MeToo? Second, how did posting (or not) influence participants' wellbeing? Finally, what motivated participants' posting (or not) #MeToo?

Method

This mixed-methods study explores how #MeToo was experienced by full-time employees (N = 395) who could have posted #MeToo (i.e., experienced a sexual harassment event), whether or not they did so. Participants completed surveys in July of 2018 assessing social media use, sexual harassment history, relational variables such as relative power and social support, and job and life satisfaction. Participants also responded to open-ended survey questions about the context of and decisions about #MeToo posting.

Results

Quantitative results indicated that sexual harassment history was the most powerful predictor of #MeToo posting, while power and interpersonal contact also contributed. Qualitative analyses (N = 74) using a grounded theory approach indicated themes associated with decisions to disclose, including feeling a responsibility to post, need for support, and affective benefits. Decisions not to disclose were event-related negative affect, posting-related negative affect, timing of the event, fit with the #MeToo movement, privacy concerns, and fear of consequences.

Conclusion

This study contributes to the literature on sexual harassment disclosure by focusing on informal means of disclosure and drawing on comparisons to formal reporting and implications for workplaces. Online sexual harassment disclosure, in many ways, reflects the impediments to formal reporting procedures. Given the increased use of social media for purposes of disclosure, these findings suggests that organizations should recognize the legitimacy of sexual harassment reports made online and consider the possible failings of their formal reporting systems as reasons for online disclosure.

Association between Experiences of Different Types of Harassment or Derogatory Treatment and Sexual Harassment among Employees at a Large Swedish University

Sexual harassment (SH) and other forms of mistreatment continue to be a significant problem at workplaces, leading to negative health and work-related outcomes. Previous studies have mainly examined SH and other types of workplace harassment separately. In this study we investigated whether harassment related to any of the seven Swedish legal grounds for discrimination (sex, transgender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion or other belief, disability, sexual orientation, or age) and derogatory treatment were associated with SH at a large Swedish university. Using cross-sectional survey data obtained from 33% of all staff, multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate associations between harassment, derogatory treatment, and SH. We found a sixfold increased risk of SH among women with experience of other forms of harassment and a three-times-higher risk among women with experience of derogatory treatment, indicating that SH co-occurs with other forms of mistreatment. This pattern was similar among men, although men reported lower prevalence of mistreatment. Our findings have implications for preventive strategies at academic workplaces indicating that issues related to the defence of power and various types of abusive behaviours, including SH, both need to be addressed to create more equal opportunities for all employees.

Validation of Lund University Sexual Harassment Inventory (LUSHI)-A Proposed Instrument for Assessing Sexual Harassment among University Employees and Students

The objective was to investigate the validity and reliability of a new instrument assessing sexual harassment at a public university in Sweden. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions resulted in a 10-item instrument, the 'Lund University Sexual Harassment Inventory' (LUSHI). A survey was sent to all staff, including PhD students, and students, with a response rate of 33% (n = 2736) and 32% (n = 9667), respectively. Exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha statistics were applied. Having experienced one or more of 10 specific behaviors was defined as sexual harassment exposure and was reported by 17.1% of staff/PhD students and 21.1% of students. Exploratory factor analysis yielded two factors with Eigenvalues above 1, labeled 'unwanted sexual attention of soliciting type' and 'unwanted sexual attention of non-soliciting type'. Rape/attempted rape fell outside of the two factors. The Cronbach's alpha values of the original 10-item scale and of the two newly formed scales were 0.80, 0.80, and 0.66, respectively. The mentioned statistics were markedly similar among men, women, and non-binary individuals and between staff/PhD students and students. We conclude that the 10-item instrument could be used for assessing sexual harassment in university settings or any type of workplace.

Sexual harassment among employees and students at a large Swedish university: who are exposed, to what, by whom and where - a cross-sectional prevalence study

BACKGROUND

Sexual harassment (SH) in the workplace is prevalent and associated with poor health. Universities are large workplaces with complex formal and informal power relations, which may influence the prevalence of SH. Although employees and students share the university context, few studies on SH have included both groups. The overall aim of the study was to investigate SH among employees and students at a large Swedish public university regarding types of harassment, prevalence in different groups, characteristics of the perpetrators, and the circumstances in which it occurs.

METHODS

A cross-sectional analysis was performed, based on a web-based survey with 120 items that was sent out to all staff, including PhD students (N = 8,238) and students (N = 30,244) in November 2019. The response rate was 33% for staff and 32% for students. Exposure to SH was defined as having experienced at least one of ten defined SH behaviors during their work or studies.

RESULTS

Among women, 24.5% of staff and 26.8% of students reported having been exposed to SH. The corresponding figures were 7.0% and 11.3% for male staff and students and 33.3% and 29.4% for non-binary individuals among staff and students. Unwelcome comments, suggestive looks or gestures, and 'inadvertent' brushing or touching were the three most common forms of reported harassment, both among staff and students. Attempted or completed rape had been experienced by 2.1% of female and 0.6% of male students. Male and female perpetrators were reported by about 80% and 15%, respectively, of exposed participants. Among staff most reported events occurred during the everyday operation of the university, while among students the majority of the events took place during social events linked to student life. When exposed to a perpetrator from the same group (staff or students), women reported more often being in a subordinate power position in relation to the perpetrator.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate that sexual harassment is common in the university context, and interventions and case management routines of events should consider power relations between victim and perpetrator, as well as the various contexts within which sexual harassment takes place.

Identifying Correlates of Peer and Faculty/Staff Sexual Harassment in US Students

Sexual harassment and its negative consequences continue to affect a large percentage of higher education students in the US. Previous research has identified a limited number of harassment risk factors, and has generally not examined them in combination. In this study, an expanded set of individual, relationship, and community-level risk factors were examined using hurdle models and classification and regression tree (CART) analyses to identify key risk factors for peer and faculty/staff sexual harassment. Secondary data analysis was conducted using data from a sample of 9,285 students from 18 two-year and four-year schools in Minnesota. CART analyses indicated that, for peer sexual harassment, being younger; consuming alcohol more than once a month; attending a four-year school; being transgender, genderqueer, self-identified, or a cisgender woman; and having experienced bullying were the most important risk factors for peer harassment on campus. For faculty/staff harassment, being gay, lesbian, bisexual, questioning, or having a self-identified sexual orientation was the most important risk factor. These and other risk factors were significant in the hurdle models. More research is needed to understand why these factors are associated with harassment. Limitations and implications for prevention programming at higher education institutions are discussed.

'You will never be as good as we are': a qualitative study of women paramedics' experiences of sex-based harassment in an Australian ambulance service

Objectives

Sex-based harassment remains a pernicious and pervasive problem in organisations, as evidenced by the recent #MeToo movement. Little is known about how this issue affects women in the paramedic profession. This study explores the sex-based harassment experiences of women working in a large Australian ambulance service, focusing on harassment from co-workers and managers.

Methods

Long-form, semi-structured interviews were undertaken with women paramedics (n = 30) as part of a larger qualitative study of the careers and work experiences of women paramedics. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim, and thematic data analysis was employed to develop rich descriptions of paramedics' experiences.

Results

Of the 30 participants, 25 had experienced sex-based harassment from male colleagues. Most commonly this took the form of gender harassment - that is, comments and jokes designed to belittle and demean women on the basis of their gender. Several participants experienced sexualised forms of harassment, including unwelcome sexual attention and propositions. Participants expressed reluctance to report the behaviour through organisational channels because of the perceived futility of doing so and the potential for reprisals and career repercussions. The preferred responses to harassment were informal, and included avoidance, humour, direct appeals and work withdrawal.

Conclusions

Sex-based harassment has a range of damaging consequences for victims and the organisations in which they work. This study is the first to explore how Australian women paramedics experience sex-based harassment in their work. The study has implications for policy and practice to improve gender equality within ambulance services and highlights the need for further research into the extent and nature of the problem across the paramedic profession.

Explaining the relationship between ethnicity and depressive symptoms: The roles of climate for inclusion, job self-efficacy, and job demands

Prior research indicates that employees from ethnic minority backgrounds are more likely to experience depression and other mental health problems than their ethnic majority counterparts. To understand what drives these negative outcomes, we integrate research on ethnic minorities at work with the job demands-resources (JDR) model. Based on the JDR model, we consider climate for inclusion as a key job resource for ethnic minority employees that mitigates the deleterious effects of ethnic minority status on job self-efficacy, perceived job demands, and depressive symptoms. We conducted a two-wave survey study (Time 1: N = 771; Time 2: N = 299, six months apart) with employees from five medium sized not-for-profit and local government organizations in Australia. Our empirical results indicate that ethnic minorities report a higher job-self-efficacy and fewer depressive symptoms when they perceive a high climate for inclusion.

Initial Validation of the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory in a Military Setting

The military is a work environment in which the underrepresentation of women and the presence of gender prejudices continue to exist. The present study validated the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI) for the Croatian military population. To determine the ASI scale’s basic metric characteristics, data were collected from a sample of 895 active-duty military personnel (445 men and 450 women). The study results determined satisfactory measurement characteristics for the ASI scale and confirmed the ambivalent sexism construct with its basic dimensions. Sexism in the military environment was found to a moderately high degree, and gender differences were observed. Three types of sexism endorsement were identified in both subsamples (egalitarian, moderate egalitarian and traditional for women, and moderate egalitarian, traditional and hostile for men), with additional differences detected in their socio–demographic and professional characteristics. The findings support the apparent exposure of women to sexism in the military environment, and suggest the need to raise awareness of the negative impact of gender prejudice on gender relations in the military.

The Power of School Conditions: Individual, Relational, and Organizational Influences on Educator Wellbeing

Wellbeing in schools is often focused at the individual level, exploring students’ or teachers’ individual traits, habits, or actions that influence wellbeing. However, studies rarely take a whole-school approach that includes staff wellbeing, and frequently ignore relational and organizational level variables. We take a systems informed positive psychology approach and argue that it is essential to build greater understanding about organizational and relational influences on wellbeing in order for schools to support educator wellbeing. Our study evaluated the relative contributions of individual, relational, and organizational factors to educator wellbeing. Our measure of wellbeing focused on the life satisfaction and flourishing of 559 educators in 12 New Zealand schools. We used a social network analysis approach to capture educators’ relational ties, and demographic data and psychometric scales to capture individual and organizational level variables. Results of hierarchical blockwise regressions showed that individual, relational, and organizational factors were all significantly associated with educator wellbeing; however, it was educators’ perceptions of trusting and collaborative school conditions that were most strongly associated with their wellbeing. The number of relational ties educators had explained the least amount of variance in wellbeing. Educators were more likely to experience high levels of support when their close contacts also experienced high levels of support. However, for many educators, there was a negative association between their most frequent relational ties and their reported levels of support. Our results suggest that attending to the organizational factors that influence wellbeing, through creating trusting and collaborative school conditions, may be one of the most influential approaches to enhancing educator wellbeing. We call for whole-school approaches to wellbeing that not only consider how to support and enhance the wellbeing of school staff as well as students, but also view the conditions created within a school as a key driver of wellbeing within schools.

Sexual and gender harassment and use of psychotropic medication among Swedish workers: a prospective cohort study

Objective

To estimate the prospective association between the exposure to three types of gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) and psychotropic medication.

Methods

Information on three measures of workplace GBVH—sexual harassment (1) from superiors or colleagues, (2) from others (eg, clients) and (3) gender harassment from superiors or colleagues—were retrieved from the biannual Swedish Work Environment Survey 2007–2013 (N=23 449), a representative sample of working 16–64 years old registered in Sweden. The survey answers were merged with data on antidepressants, hypnotics/sedatives and anxiolytics from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register. Cox proportional hazards analyses with days to purchase as time scale and first instance of medicine purchase as failure event were fitted, adjusted for demographic and workplace factors.

Results

Workers who reported exposure to gender harassment only (HR 1.2, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.36), to sexual but not gender harassment (HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.40), or to gender and sexual harassment (HR 1.31, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.60) had an excess risk of psychotropics use in comparison to workers who reported neither of the exposures in the past 12 months. We found no interaction between the exposures and gender in the association with psychotropics use.

Conclusions

Exposure to sexual or gender harassment at the workplace may contribute to the development of mental disorders.

Broadened Concepts of Harm Appear Less Serious

Harm-related concepts have progressively broadened their meanings to include less severe phenomena, but the implications of this expansion are unclear. Across five studies involving 1,819 American participants recruited on MTurk or Prolific, we manipulated whether participants learned about marginal, prototypical (severe), or mixed examples of workplace bullying (Studies 1 and 3a), trauma (Studies 2 and 3b), or sexual harassment (Study 4). We hypothesized that exposure to marginal examples of a concept would lead participants to view the harm associated with it as less serious than those exposed to prototypical examples ( trivialization hypothesis). We also predicted that mixing marginal examples with prototypical examples would disproportionately reduce perceived seriousness ( threshold shift hypothesis). All studies supported the trivialization hypothesis, but threshold shift was not consistently supported. Our findings suggest that broadened concepts of harm may dilute the perceived severity and urgency of the harms they identify.

One-year incidence of sexual harassment and the contribution to poor mental health in the adult general population

Background

Sexual harassment (SH) has been highlighted as an important determinant for mental health. The aims of this study were to describe SH in terms of cumulative 1-year incidence, exposed groups, types of perpetrators and settings, and to measure the association between SH and poor mental well-being.

Methods

Data from two waves of the Scania Public Health Cohort Study, comprising 7759 randomly recruited individuals above 18 years. Exposure to SH was measured by an instrument that also recorded place of exposure and type of perpetrator. Poor mental well-being was assessed by General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)-12, 36-Item Short Form Health Survey questionnaire (SF-36) (mental health module) and self-reported use of prescribed psychotropic medication. Logistic regression was used for multivariate analyses.

Results

The cumulative 1-year incidence of SH was six times greater among women, the highest figure (17.5%) was noted for women 18–34 years of age. No difference was noted regarding educational level or country of origin. Public places, including public transportation, and unknown offenders were the most frequently reported setting of SH for both genders. Exposure to SH was associated with a doubled risk for low mental well-being, according to all three outcome definitions, and after adjustment for mental health 6 years earlier. Female gender was related to greater vulnerability to SH exposure concerning GHQ-12 and SF-36. The Population Attributable Fraction for poor mental health was calculated to 13% for women 34 years and younger.

Conclusion

The results of this study make SH an important issue for gender policy as well as for public health policy and intervention.