Harassment In Academia Research Articles

Racist targeting and denial in academia: the ineffectiveness of current policies and practices to address evolving forms of racism

ABSTRACT Studies on bullying and harassment in academia, investigative news reports, and surveys continue to find that reporting these incidents leads to retaliation. Contributing to this work, we apply the lens of systemic and everyday racism theory to a narrative analysis of 25 semi-structured interviews with faculty and staff of colour, who experienced racist targeting and how they addressed these issues formally and informally. We find that, rather than assist them with the harassment they faced, such policies created an additional layer of everyday racism, emotionally segregating experiences leading to isolation and withdrawal, and contributed to racism-evasiveness in academia. Our data expose weaknesses in the implementation of policies that do not reflect modern-day expressions of racism. We recommend individual and institutional changes to protect faculty and staff of colour who have challenged racist individuals and structures.

Exploring Organizational Processes that Enable Contrapower Harassment in Academia

Exploring Organizational Processes that Enable Contrapower Harassment in Academia

Looking for a preventive approach to sexual harassment in academia. A systematic review

AbstractThe systematic review (PRISMA) on sexual harassment (SH) in academia looks at studies conducted since 2018 with the aim to direct updated research findings toward an effective prevention perspective. The findings confirm that academia is a breeding ground for SH due to power imbalances and that vulnerabilities related to the macro-dynamics of power, social and cultural inequalities are risk factors for SH. It is recommended that SH prevention interventions in academia 1. adopt a socio-ecological perspective; 2. include evidence-based programs such as those dedicated to bystanders; 3. are integrated with each other through valuable networking and multistakeholder involvement and 4. pay attention to support complaints, victim listening and intake activities. Future SH studies should promote: SH standardized definitions, intersectional perspectives, “all targets” surveys, research on protective factors, research on perpetrator perspective. Future interventions should act at the cultural level fighting structural inequality and a greater enhancement of evidence-based programs is required.

Academia’s next top bottom: Title IX as performative advocacy

ABSTRACT In this complaint biography, I consider how Title IX’s peri-performative protocols fail to address structural homophobia and transphobia. Peri-performativity is a spatial metaphor that theorizes conditions for speech and is explored in three ways. First, I use peri-performativity to investigate speech acts and silences that surround sexual harassment in academia. Second, Title IX’s peri-performative protocols often result in performative advocacy, which does not result in structural change. Third, the essay’s creative structure spatially renders peri-performativity to demonstrate how incidents of harassment operate in a larger heteroprofesssional network of signification that uniquely harms LGBTQ academicians.

Obstacles in Identifying Sexual Harassment in Academia: Insights from Five European Countries

Abstract Introduction Experiences of sexual harassment are common among university students. At the same time, research shows that victims and bystanders find it difficult to determine when an incident meets the criteria for sexual harassment. The aim of this study therefore was to obtain a richer and deeper understanding of the obstacles that university students encounter in identifying sexual harassment in the academic environment. Methods Individual interviews and focus groups were conducted with a total of 85 students at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral level in five European countries (Belgium, Croatia, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden) between 2020 and 2022. Thematic analysis was used to identify obstacles in identifying sexual harassment. Results The obstacles described by participants were found to fall into three main categories: (1) preconceived notions about what constitutes sexual harassment that did not necessarily concur with lived experiences, (2) navigating an often blurred or ambiguous line between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour and (3) the existence of competing interpretations of what had happened. Conclusions The results point to a gap between the participants’ lived experiences and their interpretations of them, which include difficulties positioning their experiences within their theoretical understanding of sexual harassment. Policy Implications Measures to counteract the obstacles faced by victims and bystanders in identifying sexual harassment in academia should target this cognitive gap, for instance by addressing the stereotypes that characterize preconceived notions about sexual harassment.

Exploring the Prevalence of Sexual Harassment in Academia: Experiences of Female Teachers at Higher Education Institutions

Sexual harassment of females is a pervasive problem in academia that affects women's career prospects and overall well-being. The present study aimed to analyze female teachers' experiences regarding sexual harassment (SH) at Higher Education Institutions. The quantitative research design was employed for the current study. The study’s sample included eighty (80) female teachers selected by using the technique of convenient sampling. For the purpose of data collection, the SEQ Sexual Experiences Questionnaire, designed by Fitzgerald et al. (1995) was employed. The findings revealed that the most typical forms of sexual harassment experienced by female instructors were gender harassment and unwanted sexual pursuits. The results of this study suggested that institutions need to adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards sexual harassment and are required to take proactive measures to prevent harassment to ensure a safe and respectful culture for females in the workplace.

Exploring Sexual Harassment and Students' Academic Performance: A Case Study of Business Schools of Peshawar City

Business schools appear to be under-researched when it comes to sexual harassment. Because of the hesitancy of victims to report their experiences, sexual harassment in academia is often a hidden issue. In the last few years, the media and research have paid great attention to it, and the general public is becoming more aware of it. This research work aimed to find out the students' knowledge about sexual harassment, the types faced by students, and further, evaluate up to what extent sexual harassment impedes the academic performance of students. The study also aimed to find various elements leading to the sexual harassment experience of males and females in the classroom. The data of this qualitative study are collected through 30 semi-structured interviews from students of public and private business schools in Peshawar city. The study investigates the effect of sexual harassment on the academic performance of students. The results indicate that it affects the mental health and morale of students and it leads to dissatisfaction. Hence, there is a crucial need to develop sustainable systems to redress the structure through anti-sexual harassment policies.

Prevalence of Sexual Harassment among Female Students of Khulna University

In Bangladesh, the scenario of sexual harassment is a great problem in the academic sector as well as the prevalence is equally the same. Female students are the prominent victims of sexual harassment incidents in the educational environment. The main objectives of the study were to evaluate the nature of sexual harassment in academia as well as the impacts on female students and the consequences of the problem. The study was conducted in a qualitative research method and collected primary data with the help of a checklist of the undergraduate students of the Social Science School of Khulna University. Eight respondents and two key informants were selected purposively for the study that fulfilled the criteria of the unit of analysis. The findings of the study disclosed that females are frequent victims of gender-based sexual harassment in the academic sector. Female students constantly face verbal and non-verbal sexual harassment as well as the majority of the respondents don’t disclose or report the incidents to the authority because they cannot rely on perpetrators who will not get proper punishment for their crimes. For this, the victims suffer from various impacts on their mental and physical well-being. As a result, female students replace their career focus, skipping their educational journey and constantly feeling insecure. This research also revealed that society and culture greatly impact sexual harassment occurrences by men. The overall study found the negative impacts of sexual harassment, its consequences along with possible solutions.

Helping Responses by Indirect Bystanders of Coercive Sexual Harassment in Academia: Friendship Status With Source of Information

Coercive sexual harassment (CSH) by faculty is a risk factor for women in higher education. Bystander intervention and support for a victim are critical. Social networks can influence peers’ social reactions to victims of sexual violations. This is the first study to explore the responses of peers who learn about CSH of a peer indirectly, thus becoming indirect bystanders. In this scenario, a peer classmate learns of CSH of a classmate from another classmate who witnessed the CSH. The 181 participants (52.8% female) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions where a written vignette described an interaction between the instructor faculty member and a student; the interchange involved either moderate or severe CSH (severity). The peer informant who witnessed the CSH and shared the information with the potential indirect bystander was described as either a close friend in the same class or only a classmate (friendship status). The vignette was followed by a series of items with Likert-type scales that measured cognitive appraisals (offensiveness of interaction, harm to victim, the believability of information, personal responsibility to act), emotional reactions (fears of negative consequences for taking action, emotional reactions to perpetrator and victim), and behavioral intentions (helping peer victim, social responses to victim, behaviors towards professor/perpetrator). Results indicated that the severity of CSH was a critical factor in cognitive appraisals and both positive emotional reactions to the victim and negative emotions towards the perpetrator. Yet, the main effects for the severity of CSH were moderated by friendship status of the informant: when the source was a close friend in the moderate CSH condition, participants were more likely to act to support the victim, less likely to avoid/exclude the victim, and more likely to avoid/exclude the professor than when the source of the information was simply a classmate. Results support training programs that focus on peer social networks as sources of deterrence and enhanced support regarding SH.

Sexual harassment, other types of harassment and derogatory treatment in the academy

Abstract Background Sexual harassment (SH) continues to be a significant public health problem, especially among women. SH and other types of harassment and derogatory treatment/bullying exist at many academic workplaces. The aim of this study is to explore how SH relates to other forms of harassment among staff at a large Swedish university, separated by gender. Methods Using data from a web-based survey sent out to all staff in November 2019 (response rate 33%), a multiple logistic regression analysis was performed. Exposure to SH was defined as having experienced at least one of ten defined SH behaviours related to work. Exposure to harassment (other than sexual) was defined as having experienced violation of onés dignity associated with one of the Swedish seven legal grounds for discrimination: sex, transgender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion or other belief, disability, sexual orientation or age. Exposure to derogatory treatment was defined as having experienced undesirable negative behaviours, such as withholding information, derogatory comments or exclusion. All SH, harassment and derogatory treatment took place during the last 12 months. Results Preliminary results show a sixfold increased risk among women subjected to SH to also experience harassment, a three times higher risk to experience derogatory treatment and a seven times higher risk to experience multiple forms of harassment (two or more forms of harassment or derogatory treatment) compared to women unexposed to SH. The elevated risk remained after adjusting for relevant background variables. The pattern was similar among men but with lower prevalence of SH, harassment and derogatory treatment. Conclusions The results indicate that individuals subjected to SH at work have an increased risk of experiencing other types of harassment or derogatory treatment. This new information is relevant to consider in prevention of SH and harassment in academia. Key messages • The results indicate that individuals subjected to sexual harassment at work have an increased risk of experiencing other types of harassment or derogatory treatment. • Findings indicating a relationship between sexual harassment and other types of harassment or derogatory treatment may be valuable for counteracting the problem.

To be assertive or not to be assertive: That is the question! Students' reactions to sexual harassment in academia.

IntroductionIn the literature, no integrated definition of sexual harassment (SH) occurs but there is clear unanimity about SH being offensive, humiliating, and intimidating behavior. Within academic settings, SH has severe negative effects on students' physical or emotional wellbeing as well as on their ability to succeed academically.MethodsThe aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between sex, gender roles, and the ways to manage SH (assertive and nonassertive reactions) in university students. It was hypothesized that female students would report more nonassertive reactions compared to male students. In addition, following the Bem theory on gender roles and using the self-report tool by the same author, it is hypothesized that female and male students, who are classified as feminine, will report more nonassertive responses, whereas male and female students, who are classified as masculine, will report more assertive responses. Our hypothesis was tested with a sample of 1,415 university students (593 men, 41.9%, and 822 women, 58.1%) who completed a questionnaire approved by the local ethical review board for research from the end of January 2019 to the first half of February 2019.ResultsContrary to our hypothesis, results showed that women react more than men in both assertive and nonassertive modalities. In addition, our results confirmed the main effect of both sex and gender roles on students' assertive and nonassertive reactions to SH in academia.ConclusionEducational programs about SH may prove useful in preventing its occurrence. Gender equality plans in academia can improve a nonsexist and safe environment for students. It is urgent to improve transparency and accountability of policies on the management of SH: academic institutions need to formulate a procedure to facilitate SH reporting, considering the sensitive balance of confidentiality and transparency issues. Support for the victims (social services, healthcare, legal representation, and advice concerning career/professional development) must be included.

Advancing Sexual Harassment Prevention and Elimination in the Sciences: "Every ... Health Organization Must Do Something Similar".

Sexual harassment is pervasive in science. A 2018 report found that the prevalence of sexual harassment in academia in the United States is 58%. An activity held at an international scientific congress was designed to advance sexual harassment prevention and elimination and empower binary and nonbinary persons at risk for harassment, discrimination, and violence. The objective is to describe the activity and outcomes to provide a promising model for other scientific communities. A description of the plenary and key components as well as the data collection and analysis of selected outcomes are provided. Among 1338 congress participants from 61 countries, 526 (39%) attended the #MeToo plenary, and the majority engaged in some way during the plenary session. Engagement included standing for the pledge (~85%), participating in the question and answer session (n = 5), seeking counseling (n = 3), and/or providing written post-it comments (n = 96). Respondents to a postcongress survey (n = 388 [24% of all attendees]) ranked the plenary as number 1 among 14 congressional plenaries. In postanalysis, the written post-it comments were sorted into 14 themes within 6 domains, including: (1) emotional responses, (2) barriers to speaking out, (3) public health priorities, (4) reframing narratives about the issue, (5) allyship, and (6) moving the issue forward. Scientific organizations, agencies, and institutions have an important role to play in setting norms and changing enabling policies toward a zero-tolerance culture of sexual harassment. The activity presented offers a promising model for scientific communities with similar goals. The outcomes suggest that the plenary successfully engaged participants and had a measurable impact on the participants.

Harassment as a consequence and cause of inequality in academia: A narrative review

SummaryA growing body of literature suggests that over the past 30 years, policies aimed at tackling harassment in academia have had little discernable effect. How can this impasse be overcome to make the higher education sector a safe space for everyone? We combine the areas of harassment and inequality, intersectionality, policy-practice gaps, gender sensitive medicine, as well as corruption and whistleblower processes to identify lacunae and offer recommendations for how to apply our recommendations in practice. We have been searching the most influential, relevant, and recent literature on harassment and inequality in our respective fields of expertise. By studying conceptual overlaps between the different fields, we were able to create insights that go beyond the insights of the most recent reviews. Our synthesis results in three concrete recommendations. First, harassment and inequality are mutually reinforcing. Failure to adequately tackle harassment contributes to perpetuating and reproducing inequality. Further, the intersectional nature of inequality has to be acknowledged and acted upon. Second, enforcing anti-harassment policies should be a top priority for universities, funders, and policymakers. Third, sexual harassment should be treated as institutional-level integrity failure. The higher education sector should now focus on enforcing existing anti-harassment policies by holding universities accountable for their effective implementation - or risk being complicit in maintaining and reproducing inequality.FundingWe have received no funding for this research.

Book Review: Power Imbalance, Bullying and Harassment in Academia and Glocal (local and global) Workplace by Fay Patel

Book Review: <i>Power Imbalance, Bullying and Harassment in Academia and Glocal (local and global) Workplace</i> by Fay Patel

Hate and harassment in academia: the rising concern of the online environment

Hostile online communication is a global concern. Academic research and teaching staff are among those professionals who routinely give public comments and are thus vulnerable to online attacks. This social psychological and criminological study investigated online harassment victimization among university researchers and teachers. Survey participants (N = 2,492) were university research and teaching staff members from five major universities in Finland. Victimization was assessed with a 20-item inventory. The study included a wide range of both background and general measures on well-being at work. Participants also took part in an online experiment involving a death threat targeting a colleague. Results showed that 30% of the participants reported being victims of online harassment during the prior 6 months. Victims were more often senior staff members, minority group members, and from the social sciences and humanities. Those active in traditional or social media were much more likely to be targeted. Victims reported higher psychological distress, lower generalized trust, and lower perceived social support at work than non-victims. Individuals who were targeted by a colleague from their work community reported higher post-traumatic stress disorder scores and a higher impact of perceived online harassment on their work compared to other victims. In the experimental part of the study, participants reported more anxiety when a close colleague received a death threat. Participants also recommended more countermeasures to a close colleague than to an unknown person from the same research field. Results indicate that online harassment compromises well-being at work in academia. There is an urgent need to find ways of preventing online harassment, both in workplaces and in society at large.

Gender-based violence in higher education and research: a European perspective

Abstract The gender gap in science is intrinsically linked to gender-based violence in academia. Gender-based violence is a form of discrimination against women that occurs in an academic environment, and it often takes the form of sexual harassment. Some European countries, such as France, Italy, and Ireland, have solid legal systems in place to address sexual harassment in academia. However, as the report of the European Research Area and Innovation Committee Standing Working Group on sexual harassment points out, not all European countries have legislation in this area, or if they do, it is often ineffective. While national surveys generally show that it is difficult to prevent or combat sexual harassment in universities, practices related to corporate social responsibility could be used to start the conversation about the social responsibility of universities to fight against sexual harassment, which is reflected in this article.

Faculty and staff reporting & disclosure of sexual harassment in higher education

ABSTRACT Sexual harassment in the workplace is an overt form of sexism that reinscribes patriarchal power relations within the university. Despite the perception that many people are reporting their harassment in academia thanks to the MeToo movement, we found the problem largely unreported in our sample of faculty and staff at US universities. Little is known about what drives reporting and disclosure behaviors of faculty and staff within institutions of higher education (IHEs). The present study was designed to examine disclosing and reporting sexual harassment in academia, using a sample of (N = 88) faculty and staff from IHEs who experienced some form of unwanted sexual attention. Approximately 40% did not report or disclose to anyone, and among those who did disclose the harassment they overwhelmingly chose people outside the workplace. The most common reasons for not reporting included not interpreting the event as serious enough, concerns of not being taken seriously, and thinking that nothing would be done. Regression analysis showed that experiencing electronic harassment, but not other forms of harassment, predicted reporting and disclosure. This finding reveals the stereotypes behind ‘the perfect victim’ are alive and well, continuing to limit the ability of victims to come forward with claims of harassment. .

Feminist responses to sexual harassment in academia: voice, solidarity and resistance through online activism

This paper takes as its starting point the compilation and circulation online of a list naming alleged sexual harassers in Indian academia in order to examine broader questions about the nature of online activism to address gender-based violence. Set against the historical silencing of women who speak about violence as well as institutional mechanisms to address this issue through due process, we examine the meaning, impact and limitations of this list, which generated considerable discord and debate within feminists in India. In doing so, we consider the place of these new forms of collective actions and expressions of solidarity within the broader feminist campaigns to resist violence.

Unwanted advances in higher education:Uncovering sexual harassment experiences in academia with text mining

Sexual harassment in academia is often a hidden problem because victims are usually reluctant to report their experiences. Recently, a web survey was developed to provide an opportunity to share thousands of sexual harassment experiences in academia. Using an efficient approach, this study collected and investigated more than 2,000 sexual harassment experiences to better understand these unwanted advances in higher education. This paper utilized text mining to disclose hidden topics and explore their weight across three variables: harasser gender, institution type, and victim's field of study. We mapped the topics on five themes drawn from the sexual harassment literature and found that more than 50% of the topics were assigned to the unwanted sexual attention theme. Fourteen percent of the topics were in the gender harassment theme, in which insulting, sexist, or degrading comments or behavior was directed towards women. Five percent of the topics involved sexual coercion (a benefit is offered in exchange for sexual favors), 5% involved sex discrimination, and 7% of the topics discussed retaliation against the victim for reporting the harassment, or for simply not complying with the harasser. Findings highlight the power differential between faculty and students, and the toll on students when professors abuse their power. While some topics did differ based on type of institution, there were no differences between the topics based on gender of harasser or field of study. This research can be beneficial to researchers in further investigation of this paper's dataset, and to policymakers in improving existing policies to create a safe and supportive environment in academia.

Sexual Harassment in Academia: A Study of Forms, Prevalence and Perception

This paper explores the primary forms and prevalence of sexual harassment on campus. It also looks into the general perception that students have concerning harassment. In a cross-sectional survey, 389 respondents filled a questionnaire on sexual harassment. Quantitative statistical analysis revealed that sexual harassment was significantly prevalent in academia. Two-thirds of university students are subjected to sexual harassment before they join campus. Many of the respondents acceded to have been subjected to sexually harassing behaviours but were resistant to label themselves as survivors of harassment. Perception was high among undergraduate students. Recommendations for the improvement of the situation to create a freer and safer campus environment and suggestions for further research are made.