Prevalence Of Sexual Harassment Research Articles

Sexual Harassment at Work Among Tunisian Women Physicians

Sexual harassment at work is receiving increasing attention, particularly as women’s participation rates in the labor force increase. The purpose of this study was to evaluate women doctors’ perception of sexual harassment (SH) and assess SH prevalence in this population, compared with a control group. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of Tunisian women doctors compared with a control group. We used a questionnaire exploring the knowledge of the participants about SH and personal experience. 154 women received the questionnaire. The response rate was 62.3% (65 women doctors and 31 non-medical women). Only 32.3% of female physicians were able to provide a formal definition of SH versus 22.6% in the non-physician group. We didn’t find a difference between the two groups concerning the perception of nonverbal forms of SH. Doctors said they were more victims of SH at work than non-medical women (27.7% vs. 16.1%). We found a statistically significant relationship between being a witness of SH and being a victim of SH at work in the group of doctors. Most women in Tunisia do not seem to recognize SH. Therefore, studies on a larger scale as well as educational and informative campaigns seem to be necessary.

#Timesup - it’s time to take action

Sexual harassment is prevalent in the hospitality industry with studies indicating that hospitality employees experience sexual harassment significantly more than employees in other industries. Studies also reveal that customers are generally the main perpetrators [1].
 Like the Western world, tourism in the South Pacific has seen significant growth and is now the largest and fastest growing sector in the region [2]. However, despite tourism being the key economic driver for many Pacific Island countries, the prevalence of sexual harassment in this location is unknown. This study was conducted in the Cook Islands and investigated the sexual harassment experiences of hospitality employees, by customers. A qualitative approach was adopted involving in-depth interviews with 32 participants from across the industry. The study revealed a significant lack of awareness of sexual harassment and, given the lack of research attention in this region, it is anticipated that this problem is prevalent across the Pacific.
 Consistent with previous studies [3], alcohol was considered to have the greatest influence on customer behaviour. Supporting Hayner’s [4] ‘moral holiday’ perspective, employees were of the view that visitors behaved inappropriately simply because they were away from home and had a sense of anonymity. A key outcome of the study were the new themes that emerged on ‘cause’, which were unique to the study and its location. The commodification of Cook Islands culture, in particular, the sexualisation of traditional dance and costumes, was perceived to reduce the sexual inhibitions of visitors. A lack of awareness around cultural norms, the hospitable nature of Cook Islanders and titillating marketing messages were also perceived to inadvertently influence visitor behaviour.
 The ramifications of sexual harassment are serious and cannot be ignored by hospitality employers and managers. The study found that employees experienced a decline in their work performance, productivity, and overall job satisfaction. These outcomes are detrimental not only to individuals, but also to organisations, as they can increase costs and impact the bottom line [5]. Of particular concern, the study found that employees were leaving the industry because of sexual harassment. In light of the current labour market pressures in the Cook Islands tourism industry [6], the implications of this are grave. The research identifies a vital need for education and training with a focus on sexual harassment awareness, cultural awareness, body language and socials skills. The implementation of workplace policies and procedures on sexual harassment is also recommended. Implementing practical strategies at an operational level may also be beneficial for managers and owners. Bystander intervention is an effective approach and involves removing the harassed employee and replacing them with a colleague, before the situation escalates. Implementing host responsibility programmes to educate employees on the responsible sale and supply of alcohol is also recommended. Paramount to addressing the issue of sexual harassment, however, is a clear and visible commitment from management. Employers have an ethical responsibility to create a safe working environment for their employees. Our people are our greatest tourism asset. We need to protect them to ensure a sustainable tourism industry, both in the Pacific and elsewhere.
 Corresponding author
 Lisa Sadaraka can be contacted at lisa.sadaraka@aut.ac.nz
 References
 (1) Gettman, H. J.; Gelfand, M. J. When the Customer Shouldn’t be King: Antecedents and Consequences of Sexual Harassment by Clients and Customers. Journal of Applied Psychology 2007, 92(3), 757–770. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.92.3.757
 (2) The World Bank. Tourism, 2016. http://pubdocs.worldbank.org/en/95491462763645997/WB-PP-Tourism.pdf (accessed Jun 7, 2018).
 (3) Yagil, D. When the Customer is Wrong: A Review of Research on Aggression and Sexual Harassment in Service Encounters. Aggression and Violent Behavior 2008, 13(2), 141–152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2008.03.002
 (4) Hayner, N. S. Hotel Life and Personality. American Journal of Sociology 1928, 33(5), 784–795.
 (5) Ineson, E. M.; Yap, M. H. T.; Whiting, G. Sexual Discrimination and Harassment in the Hospitality Industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management 2013, 35, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2013.04.012
 (6) Sugden, C.; Bosworth, M.; Chung, M.; Tuara, A. Cook Islands 2008 Social and Economic Report: Equity in Development, 2008. https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/29732/cook-islands-economic-report-2008.pdf (accessed Jun 7, 2018).

Prevalence Of Sexual Harassment Among Sportswomen In Pakistan

Sexual harassment (SH) in sports is present in all over the world due to socially constructed values, myths and norms. Harassment is faced by large number of women in sports and it is present in all individual and team sports. The ratio is less in South Asian region as compared to western countries and it is also present in Pakistan. The objective of the research is to explore the social behaviors with the victimized sports women of SH in the Pakistani society. The researcher has used non-probability method in which purposive sampling method is used to collect data through interview schedule from 210 sports women residing in different places of Pakistan. Findings of the study highlights that sport women face SH. According to sports women they are harassed or abused by their male counterparts, i.e. which are their trainers, coaches and lower staff even during travelling for their sports seasons. The results of SH showed that women left sports due to the social norms of the society. Women hide such incidents due to the sake of self-respect, self-esteem and family honor. It is observed that women who faced SH usually attempt suicide to protect their honor. As a result, these women fear and hate men and they face psychological issues. This article aims to describe that SH is present in sports in Pakistan like other countries and females are aware about it, because usually in Pakistani society such cases are kept hidden. The importance of this study is to aware women about SH so that they can safeguard themselves.

Accountability, Complacency, or Obfuscation? An Analysis of the U.S. Military’s Prevention and Response Efforts to Military Sexual Trauma

On December 3, 2015, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter announced the end of the combat exclusion policy prohibiting women from serving in direct combat roles, regardless of the service branch or military occupation. For many, this represented the final barrier to women’s opportunity for equality within the armed forces, since many jobs and promotions are tied to combat experience. However, this historically significant milestone is juxtaposed against a recurring problem for the military that threatens its state of readiness and national security: military sexual trauma (MST). This article explores the prevalence of sexual harassment and sexual assault in the U.S. military, and the misleading, and often contradictory, data provided by military officials and the Department of Defense. The argument presented here is that the obfuscation of MST data has ethical implications for public administration, as it negatively impacts any meaningful prevention, intervention, and reform efforts. At a time of emerging global threats and with less than 1% of the American public currently serving in the all-volunteer military, can the nation continue to risk remaining ignorant about these preventable crimes against its service members?

Sexual harassment among female students of Menoufia University

Background Sexual harassment (SH) of students has recently become a topic of interest to researchers and the general public alike. Although numerous studies document its frequency, the development of conceptual models identifying the prevalence and consequences of harassment has proceeded at a slower pace. Objectives The study aimed at studying the prevalence of SH among female students of Menoufia University and its effects. Patients and methods A cross-sectional study was carried out on 1940 female university students (972 students in practical faculties and 968 students in theoretical ones), over a period of 7 months, between 15 March to 30 October 2015. The interview sites included classes of Menoufia University. Results The study shows the effectiveness of community-based targeted questionnaires in identifying SH among 1940 female university students. The prevalence of SH was 65.3% among the total studied number (64.6% in practical faculties and 65.9% among theoretical ones) (P = 0.548). The prevalence of different types of SH was as follows: verbal type, 76.5%; following, 12.8%; touching, 20.3%; and physical violence, 1.1%. A number of risk factors were behind exposure to SH, such as wearing tight clothes (odds ratio = 2.88, 2.01–4.11) and wearing hot colors (odds ratio = 2.11, 1.65–2.70). The effects of SH were as follows: feeling insecure (56.7%), depression (25.0%), self- reproach (15%), revenge desire (9.3), and denial (8.9%). Conclusion SH is prevalent in Menoufia Governorate with many serious effects.

Sexual Harassment in the Norwegian Theatre World

ABSTRACTThe aim of this article is to provide insight into the phenomenon of sexual harassment in the theatre world. A survey among Norwegian actors is presented showing that sexual harassment is much more prevalent in the theatre world than in Norwegian work life in general. Further, the article aims at understanding why the prevalence is as high as it is. Based on qualitative interviews, the article points out some risk factors that shed light on the high prevalence of sexual harassment. Lastly, the risk factors are related to charismatic authority as an important power base in the theatre world.

Nurse Harassment: A Forgotten Issue.

Dear Editor, In the clinical setting of nursing, nurses play a specific role. Most nurses are female and as a part of their duty, perform hard work and face stressful situations, problems, and risks. An important problem worth mentioning is the harassment of nurses, an expected problem as most nurses are female. However, unfortunately, this has become a forgotten issue. In developing countries such as Thailand, newspapers often report cases of nurse harassment. Many of these are cases of serious harassment and even murder (for example, the famous Nuanchawee case of nurse harassment and murder in Thailand, which is documented at Mahidol University, medical museum in Bangkok, Thailand). Nevertheless, there are only a few scientific reports on this issue. Fute et al. recently reported a prevalence of as high as 13.02% of sexual harassment of nurses in Ethiopia (1). In another report from Malaysia, Suhaila and Rampal stated that, “the prevalence of sexual harassment among registered nurses in the workplace was high and self-perception profile of the victims of sexual harassment was the main contributing factor to the problem” (2). Fallahi Khoshknab et al. have also reported a high prevalence of violence against Iranian healthcare workers, including nurses (3). Noteworthy is the fact that although several guidelines are available for working in a clinical settings, there is scarcity of specific instructions pertaining to the protection of the workforce (4). To be specific, there is no clear protocol for prevention of sexual harassment of nurses, an important issue for the nursing society to combat! To address this problem, the author suggests the following solutions: (a) a good security system in hospitals, such as closed circuit television, must be established; (b) nurses should be trained on self-protection against any harassment; (c) an instruction should be enforced that forbids the traveling of nurses on duty to a secluded place, especially at night; and (d) legal control and penalty for cases of harassment must be strengthened.

‘But It's Your Job To Be Friendly’: Employees Coping With and Contesting Sexual Harassment from Customers in the Service Sector

This article analyses how employees in the service sector respond to sexual harassment from customers and attempts to explain why this is so. There are only a small number of previous studies examining the issue of customer‐perpetrated sexual harassment. Those that have been conducted have detailed the nature and prevalence of sexual harassment from customers, but this research lags behind employee experience and some emerging policy responses to this issue. The extant literature, whilst growing, remains largely limited to documenting the phenomenon. In this article, we attempt to create a deeper analysis of customer‐perpetrated harassment by conducting a new review of the literature to develop propositions about how employees respond to it and the factors that influence their responses. These propositions are analysed in relation to a qualitative pilot study with 15 interviewees who had experienced sexual harassment from customers to understand how they reacted and why. The article shows how the social norms and precarious working conditions of the service sector constrain employees from seeking formal redress, leading to the enactment of informal coping strategies and temporary contestations of the situation. This research is important for building our understanding of the influence of workplace context for framing employee responses to customer sexual harassment.

Sexual harassment against nursing staff in Tanta University Hospitals, Egypt.

Sexual harassment against nurses is a major workplace problem causing adverse psychological effects and may affect the occupational performance of the nurses. This study aimed to assess the magnitude of this problem, and its characteristics and consequences among the nursing staff in Tanta University Hospitals, Gharbeia Governorate, Egypt. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on 430 nurses at Tanta University Hospitals using a semistructured, self-administered questionnaire to collect the data concerning the exposure and characteristics of harassment situations. A representative sample of the nurses was taken randomly from the emergency, medical and surgical departments. Overall, 70.2% of the studied nurses were ever exposed to sexual harassment at the workplace; 43.7% of the harassed nurses were working in both day and night shifts. Staring in a suggestive manner emerged as the most common form of harassment, followed by hearing sexual words and comments or jokes (70.9, 58.6 and 57.3%, respectively). The relatives of the patients were the most common perpetrators, followed by the hospital staff other than the doctors (61.9, 45.4%, respectively). During the harassment situation, astonishment and shock were the most frequent responses in 65.2% of the harassed nurses, while after its occurrence 38.4% ignored the situation. About 95% of the harassed nurses were left with psychological effects, mostly in the form of disappointment and depression (76.5 and 67.9%, respectively). The prevalence of sexual harassment among nurses at the workplace was high with relation to certain occupational factors, and it led to marked psychological effects on the victims. Hence, protective legislations and measures should be taken by the hospital management for prevention of this problem in the future.

Assessment of Sexual Harassment and Associated Factors among Grade 9-12 Female Students at Schools in Ambo District, Oromia National Regional State, Ethiopia

Research question: What is the prevalence of the sexual harassment and various factors influencing it in school? Setting: Secondary and preparatory school of Ambo district. Study Design: Institutional based cross-sectional study design with qualitative study design. Participant: All female students from grade nine to twelve found in Ambo Secondary and Preparatory School (n=414). Methodology: out of 1631 regular female students in the Schools, 414 were selected by stratified sampling technique. Data were collected using structured pre tested questionnaires with Focus group discussion guide and entered into EPI Info then exported to SPSS for analysis. Result: Prevalence of sexual harassment among female students in school through their school life and past twelve months were 147(35.5%) and 138(33.3%), respectively. Having peer relationship problem, parents not living together and had ever chewed khat were statistically significant with last twelve months sexual harassment in school. Therefore, ongoing awareness creation, preventive measure, and law enact are essential.

Sexual harassment in tertiary institutions: A comparative perspective

Sexual harassment is not a new phenomenon in tertiary institutions. It has been receiving considerable attention in research and the media and public awareness has increased dramatically. However, the term sexual harassment is not used uniformly across the globe because countries have defined it differently. Consequently, prevalence of sexual harassment in education varies across cultures. This paper examines sexual harassment from a comparative perspective. It specifically focuses on the definition of sexual harassment, incidence of sexual harassment of students in tertiary institutions, effects of sexual harassment on victims; and victims? responses to sexual harassment. It also offers suggestions for curtailing sexual harassment in these institutions.

The Influence of Social Media on the Prevalence of Sexual Harassment among Teenagers: A Case Study of Secondary Schools in Kandara Sub-County, Kenya

Social media use by teenagers in secondary schools is on the increase with more and more students accessing face book, twitter, You-tube, email and other social sites. Whereas students use such social networking positively, the amount of time spent on the sites that consume academic time has resulted to alarming poor performance which research has associated with lack of adequate revision time, inadequate sleep amounting to poor concentration, and truancy in schools. Sexual harassment is on the increase, defiant sexual behaviors which include: lesbianism, homosexuality, multiple sexual partners and rapes amongst the students are on the increase due to sharing of pornographic images. Research has reported online sex where teenagers engage in sex with their partners on the screens through fantasy. Descriptive case study design was used to investigate from the respondents how their social media use has led to sexual harassment and consequently poor grades. This lowers a country’s production due to under skilled workers and unemployment heightening insecurity. The study was to establish how the respondents’ engagement in sexual immorality had been modeled by social media by their being primary or secondary consumers of the various sites. Simple random sampling was used in selection of 13 schools and a sample size of 320 respondents based on the school population. Social Norms Theory was used as the theoretical framework to explain the variables used in the research. Recommendations to parents, teachers and the Ministry of Education were provided as a call to all to reinforce useful utilization of social media by the teenagers and appropriate measures to curb sexual harassment in schools.

Women, work and industrial relations in Australia in 2012

The year 2012 saw a number of initiatives and debates around measures that directly and indirectly affect women’s working conditions. This article first considers the extent of women’s workforce participation, an issue that has informed both policy debates and legislative changes over the last year. It then briefly assesses the potential of the Fair Work Act Review and the ongoing Modern Awards Review to improve women’s working conditions, before turning to action on a number of fronts. Pregnancy discrimination and sexual harassment have remained a constant in Australian anti-discrimination jurisdictions for many years. However, in 2012, there was also strong enforcement action by the Fair Work Ombudsman in cases of pregnancy discrimination, a new sexual harassment prevalence survey and the second phase of the Treatment of Women in Defence Review. Apart from the Social and Community Sector equal pay case, finalised in February 2012. Action ‘outside’ formal equal pay provisions also saw potential gains for the predominantly female and low-paid workforces in aged care and childcare.

Relationships Among Sexual Harassment, Gender, and Diversity Culture in High School Athletics

The purpose of this study was to examine the (a) relationship between an organization's diversity culture and the prevalence of sexual harassment and (b) degree to which gender moderated the association between being sexually harassed and one's job satisfaction and work withdrawal. Data were gathered from 303 (208 men, 95 women) interscholastic coaches. Structural equation modeling indicated that a proactive diversity culture was negatively related to sexual harassment. Sexual harassment held a negative relationship with job satisfaction and a positive association with work withdrawal. The negative association between sexual harassment and job satisfaction was stronger for women than for men. Findings demonstrate the importance of considering how gender moderates sexual harassment's relationship with work outcomes.

Performance Level and Sexual Harassment Prevalence among Female Athletes in the Czech Republic

This article investigates whether there is a relationship between the sport performance level of female athletes inside the sport (at clubs, competitions, or training events) and outside sport (in family or community settings) and the likelihood that they will be victims of sexual harassment. The study sample consisted of 595 women from the Czech Republic and was divided into three performance groups: elite, non-elite/competing, and exercisers. No significant differences were found between the groups in relation to overall cases of sexual harassment, but when their experiences of sexual harassment inside and outside sport were examined, the picture changed. The chances of being harassed by someone in sport increased with performance level, from 29.7% among the exercisers to 55.2% among the elite-level athletes. However, the highest proportion of women experiencing sexual harassment was seen in the group of the exercises outside of sport (73%). This article discusses the prevalence of sexual harassment in relation to the gender order in Czech society.

A study on knowledge and prevalence of sexual harassment and abuse among schoolboys in Colombo District

Objectives To determine knowledge of sexual harassment and abuse among schoolboys aged 14 to 19 years, assess prevalence, frequency and severity of various types of sexual harassment and abuse, assess frequency of reporting incidents of sexual harassment and abuse to a trustworthy person, determine reasons for non-reporting and determine characteristics specific to sexually abused schoolboys. Design A descriptive cross sectional study Method Data was collected from 242 schoolboys aged 14-19 years from 2 Colombo district schools using a pre-tested and self-administered questionnaire.

Exploring sexual harassment in a police department in Taiwan

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the conceptual and empirical issues related to sexual harassment (SH) in a police department in Taiwan.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data were collected. Through the analysis, the paper proposes that SH can be better divided into two subcategories: quid pro quo and hostile work environment harassment. Multivariate analysis is used to explore the sources of SH.FindingsIt was found that both types of SH can be better explained by work environment variables than by demographic variables, but the specific sources differ. Hostile work environment harassment is predicted by the extent to which female officers perceive or experience that deployment and transfer practices are influenced by their gender. Quid pro quo harassment is related to job barriers and dodging from work.Research limitations/implicationsThe two scales used in this research have captured the core of SH, but they might not fully depict the nature of SH in the police department in Taiwan. The sample was limited to the largest police department in Taiwan and it may not represent the entire police in Taiwan.Practical implicationsIf hostile work environment and quid pro quo harassments are related to different organizational factors, it is useful for policy makers in the police to differentiate these two different types of SH and develop differential prevention and response measures.Originality/valueThis paper highlights the need to differentiate quid pro quo and hostile work environment harassments. It fills a gap in the literature by providing the baseline information on the prevalence of SH in one police department in Taiwan and by examining sources of SH in a profession dominated by males.

Sexual harassment during clinical clerkships in Dutch medical schools

Sexual harassment of medical students has been the focus of many international studies. Prevalence rates from 18% to over 60% have been reported. However, a Dutch study at Nijmegen Medical School found the prevalence rate to be lower (13.3% in the total group; 20% among female students only). We aimed to identify whether Nijmegen constitutes a positive sample of Dutch medical schools or whether incidents of sexual harassment are less prevalent in the Netherlands than elsewhere, and to establish if and how these experiences impact the professional lives of students. Students received a semi-structured questionnaire containing questions about their experiences of sexual harassment during clerkships. The questions referred to students' reactions to any incidents, the possible consequences for their wellbeing or professional functioning and the way cases of sexual harassment were handled. The prevalence of sexual harassment was significantly higher in Utrecht than in Nijmegen. In both studies rates were relatively low compared with international data. Nevertheless, 1 in 3-5 Dutch female medical students had experienced unwelcome sexual attention from patients, colleagues or supervisors. Three of 10 students who had experienced such an incident stated that it had a negative impact on their functioning afterwards. Prevalence rates of sexual harassment in medical schools in the Netherlands are low compared with international rates. However, the number of women students who experience sexual harassment is still 1 in 3-5. The occurrence of and ways to deal with these incidents should be important topics in the training of medical students and supervisors.

A more accurate approach to measuring the prevalence of sexual harassment among high school students.

La presente etude s'est penchee sur la prevalence du harcelement sexuel chez les etudiants de l'ecole secondaire. En tout 1 582 etudiants de 18 ecoles ont repondu a une version de l'enquete de l'American Association of University Women (1993). Les evenements de harcelement sexuel signales ont ete limites a ceux qui: a) l'avaient vecu directement, b) s'etaient produits au cours des deux semaines precedentes et c) ont ete signales par des etudiants qui etaient vraisemblablement perturbes par leurs experiences. Malgre cette approche rigoureuse, il a ete trouve que le harcelement sexuel representait un probleme important dans les ecoles secondaires. Quinze pour cent des etudiants avaient ete victimes de harcelement sexuel et etaient tres ou assez perturbes par leurs experiences d'harcelement. Pres de la moitie de ces etudiants perturbes avaient fait l'objet de formes physiques de harcelement sexuel.

Prevention of Sexual Harassment in the Medical Setting

This paper is an examination of how Inoculation Theory can be applied in the prevention of sexual harassment in the medical setting. The basic tenet of the theory is the study of the processes through which we withstand and oppose attitude transformation during social interactions that may influence or change our attitudes. More importantly, this paper analyzes sexual harassment as a pervasive phenomenon in the medical setting. As such, it defines what sexual harassment is, explains the prevalence of sexual harassment between the physician and the patient, describes some of the general studies conducted in medical settings, provides a case scenario of doctor-patient sexual harassment, and identifies some key consequences to doctors, patients, and society.