Sexual Harassment In Academia Research Articles

Sexual harassment in Portuguese academia: academic women as victims, witnesses and institutional actors

ABSTRACT This article presents the main results of an exploratory qualitative study conducted in 2022, which examined sexual harassment in Portuguese academia. We conducted semi-structured individual interviews and sociodemographic profile questionnaires with 18 women from different generations and scientific areas. All participants had stable careers in academia, which gave them in-depth knowledge of its internal dynamics. This study explores their experiences as victims and witnesses of sexual harassment, as well as institutional actors who had to deal with complaints. It contributes to the understanding of sexual harassment in academia and its gendered dynamics, in a time when women are reaching positions of power in a traditionally male dominated area. Linked to gendered inequalities and hierarchies, and to neoliberal reforms, sexual harassment is a significant problem in Portuguese academia that affects mostly, but not exclusively, women in subordinate positions and of younger age. It has negative impacts on victims, but it also harms bystanders who support the victims and use their institutional power to try to make perpetrators accountable.

Sexual Harassment in Academia: Analysis of Opinion Articles in the Portuguese Press

#MeToo furthered the debates about sexual harassment in academia in different contexts and locations. In Portugal, two moments drove the media debates around sexual harassment in higher education. Specifically, the allegations that emerged at the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon (FDUL) in 2022, and the case related to the Centre for Social Studies (CES) of the University of Coimbra in 2023. This study aimed to investigate the media coverage of these cases and their respective contributions to the national debate on sexual harassment in academia. We analysed the opinion articles published online between April 2022 and June 2023 in five Portuguese newspapers, Diário de Notícias, Jornal de Notícias, Público, Expresso, Observador, and Correio da Manhã, conducting a comparative analysis of the two cases. Sexual harassment was broadly discussed as an endemic reality, exacerbated by the precariousness and gendered hierarchical structures of academia. At the same time, there was a tendency to personalize the debate, by focusing on Boaventura Sousa Santos, CES’s emeritus director. This served as a basis for the instrumentalization of sexual violence as a form of political attack against the left, thus weakening the potential of the debates about sexual and moral harassment in academia.

Design and Validation of the Cyber Sexual Harassment Scale-Professor Student.

Young adult females face alarming rates of sexual victimization, with a growing concern about cybersexual harassment in the digital age (prevalence ranging from 4.6% to 70% in university female students), depending on sexual harassment parameters evaluated, different methodologies used, or sample characteristics. However, no studies so far assessed the cybersexual harassment from professor to their students. Thus, we developed and validated the Cyber Sexual Harassment Scale-Professor Student (CSHS-PS) to assess virtual sexual harassment by professors towards their students. A sample of 1,249 participants aged 18-40 was used for exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The CSHS-PS demonstrated a two-factor structure, capturing "Unwanted Interaction" and "Sharing with Others." Reliability and validity were confirmed, showing promise for assessing online sexual harassment in academia. This scale contributes to understanding and addressing this prevalent issue, especially among younger women, in educational settings, providing a valuable tool for research and practice.

Stigmatized Women's Discourse about Sexual Harassment in Academia

Abstract This 15-part forum challenges the Journal of American Folklore's readership to contemplate explicitly and publicly what we should do about the professional legacies of colleagues in our field who are known to or alleged to have harmed others through sexual harassment and gender discrimination. An introduction by the forum's curator Lisa Gilman is followed by 14 essays representing a diversity of viewpoints from members of the American Folklore Society.

University Support and Prevention Needs for Sexual Harassment: What Do European Students and Doctoral Students Ask For?

This study explores experiences of and reflections on sexual harassment in academia among students and doctoral students from Belgium, Croatia, Germany, and Sweden. Prevalence studies show that sexual harassment is a common occurrence and has negative consequences not only on mental health in general but also on academic performance. However, little is known about what kinds of support and prevention are needed. Therefore, the aim of this study has been to develop in-depth knowledge about students’ and doctoral students’ reflections on how victims of sexual harassment in academia should be supported, and how sexual harassment in academia could be prevented. To achieve this aim, 54 individual interviews, and 6 focus group interviews with 18 participants, were conducted between 2020 and 2022 with a total of 72 participants at the bachelors, masters, doctoral level or state exam level. Based on a thematic analysis three themes emerged: (a) Information on sexual harassment, (b) Prerequisites for reporting and intervening, and (c) Support as a preventive activity. The results show an urgent need for information, since this is perceived as lacking by students and doctoral students, and suggested strategies for information provision are presented. Further, there are challenges related to reporting, and ignorance about how to intervene when sexual harassment is witnessed. Professional support is described as important, along with support from peers, mentors, family, and friends. These findings are relevant for researchers and for clinicians at university student health centres, to develop relevant preventive and supportive interventions in the context of 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

IntroductionExperiences 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.MethodsIndividual 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.ResultsThe 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.ConclusionsThe 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 ImplicationsMeasures 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.

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.

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

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

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.

Sexual Harassment in Academia: Ethical Climates and Bounded Ethicality.

This article reviews research on sexual harassment, particularly that pertaining to academia, to understand its underlying causes. Arguing that sexual harassment is an ethical issue, we draw on the field of behavioral ethics to structure our review. We first review ethical climate antecedents at the individual, leader, organizational, and environmental levels and examine their effects on both the occurrence of and responses to sexually harassing behaviors. This discussion is followed by an exploration of research that speaks to the cognitive processes of bounded ethicality-including ethical fading, motivated blindness, and the slippery slope-and their role in facilitating and perpetuating sexual harassment. We conclude by highlighting the value to be gained from integrating research on sexual harassment with research on behavioral ethics and identifying several practical steps that can be taken to curb sexual harassment in academia.