Be A Teacher And Shut Up: When The Violation of The Psychological Contract Stands as A Perfect Mediator in the Relationship Between Sexual Harassment and Continuous Commitment

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to shed light on the issue of sexual harassment towards women who hold lower positions in the hierarchy of higher education institutions. These women often feel powerless to refuse indecent advances from their hierarchical superiors, which violates the psychological contract between them and their subordinates. This highlights the close connection between sexuality and power relations in the workplace. Design/Methodology/ Approach: The study employed a quantitative methods which applied the survey questionnaire to get response from Tunisian higher education sector, including PhD students, permanent teaching assistants, and temporary teachers. We utilized 370 valid cases to infer the results. Findings: The results showed that sexual harassment has a significant and positive impact on both continuous commitment and violation of psychological contract, which has a significant and positive impact on continuous commitment. We also found that the violation of the psychological contract acts as a mediator in the relationship between sexual harassment and continuous commitment. Research, practical and social implications: The study would be valuable to contrôle the issue of sexual harassment of females who are affiliated and not affiliated with the university. The study would help prepare the policies regarding controlling potential harassers. Originality/ value: The study shed light on the important issue of sexual harassment towards women who hold lower positions in the hierarchy of higher education institutions in Tunisia.