Associations of childhood and adulthood maltreatment with postpartum depression and the role of socio-economic position and social contact.

Mapping Sexual Harassment in Public Places: Open-Source Data-Driven Contextual Analysis

ABSTRACT Bystanders are most frequently present prior to a sexual assault, wherein it is possible that bystanders witness sexual harassment (e.g. sexist jokes, unwanted touching). The relationship between the victim and the sex of the victim can impact bystander intervention during sexual violence. As such, the present study examines how the presence of certain types of bystanders (e.g. friends) during sexual harassment influences the likelihood of bystander intervention, and whether the gender of the victim moderates this relationship. Participants included 724 college students (78.9% female; 82.9% White; 89.4% heterosexual) ages 18 to 24 (Mage = 18.97, SDage = 1.12) who reported at least one experience of sexual harassment, the presence of a witness during sexual harassment, and indicated whether a bystander intervened. Two binomial linear regressions were conducted. Friends were less likely to intervene than roommates or family, but more likely than acquaintances or strangers. Although gender moderation was not supported, male victims reported that bystanders were less likely to intervene compared to bystanders of female victims. Consistent with previous work, the odds of bystander intervention are significantly related to the context in which sexual harassment occurs. Family members and roommates may feel a stronger sense of responsibility to intervene due to their closeness to the victim compared to other bystander types. Men who experienced sexual harassment were less likely to report bystander intervention during sexual harassment than women, which suggests barriers to helping behavior. Implications for bystander programming, clinical work, and future research are discussed.

Sexual violence in psychiatric in-patient care has received increasing attention following persistent evidence of sexual violence and harassment on wards. However, patients' subjective experiences remain under-examined, limiting the evidence base to inform safeguarding, gender-sensitive design and trauma-informed practice. To synthesise qualitative evidence on patients' experiences of sexual violence and perceived risk within psychiatric in-patient settings. We conducted a systematic review and qualitative synthesis following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines (PROSPERO registration no. CRD42024595945). MEDLINE, Embase and PsycINFO were searched from inception to October 2024, supplemented by reference list screening and citation tracking. Inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed qualitative studies reporting patients' first-hand accounts of sexual violence or perceived sexual safety in psychiatric in-patient care. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist, and data were analysed by thematic synthesis. Six studies published between 1998 and 2025 met the inclusion criteria, with most focusing on female patients in mixed-gender wards. Three overarching themes were developed: (a) 'a culture of permissiveness and dismissal' - patients downplayed harassment and abuse and staff routinely dismissed concerns; (b) 'everyday fear, hypervigilance and resistance' - the constant threat of harm generated chronic distress, with safeguarding responsibility shifted onto the patients; and (c) 'gendered power dynamics in open or mixed-gender spaces' - open ward layouts, inadequate boundaries and legal detention compounded vulnerability to harm. Sexual violence in psychiatric in-patient care is enabled by ward cultures that normalise harm, weak safeguarding and gendered power imbalances. Urgent action is needed to implement trauma-informed, gender-sensitive practices and secure spatial boundaries and consistent incident responses, alongside policies that enable safe disclosure and accountability.

Over the years, the metaverse has garnered significant attention, as reflected in Facebook’s rebranding to Meta and its strategic acquisition initiatives. It has become a key focus of technological innovation in the gaming sector. Despite its growing prominence, a universally accepted definition remains elusive. This article analyses the challenges and opportunities associated with metaverse gaming platforms, with particular emphasis on addressing player safety and sexual harassment concerns in virtual environments. It critiques existing legal frameworks for their inadequacy in safeguarding users from a responsible gaming perspective. It also explores the potential regulatory approaches and offers recommendations to make the metaverse gaming platforms safe and inclusive. The article concludes by emphasizing the need for further research on regulatory sandboxes for testing metaverse gaming platforms in the Indian context.

Why is workplace sexual harassment chronically underreported? We hypothesize that employers coerce victims into silence through the threat of a retaliatory firing. To test this, we estimate how two external shocks that reduce workers’ outside options—unemployment rate increases and sharp cuts to unemployment insurance benefits—affect the selectivity of sexual harassment charges filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. We find that both shocks increase selectivity, which implies an increase in underreporting. Bolstering these findings, anonymous Google searches for “sexual harassment in the workplace” (total prevalence) spike relative to charges filed (reported prevalence) during the Great Recession. (JEL J71, J78)

Mental health in physiotherapy students: A nationwide study.

Sexual harassment in India's medical education: need for accountability

Sexual harassment in the creative and hospitality industries: a comparative media analysis to understand the mobilising power of #MeToo

Understanding resilience and resistance against sexual harassment in a patri-authoritarian context

Studies show that racialized sexual harassment, a form of gendered racism, contributes to increased psychological distress among Black women. To cope, some Black women may adhere to the Superwoman Schema (i.e., an obligation to display strength, resistance to vulnerability, intense motivation to succeed despite limited resources, and an obligation to help others), which may be associated with decreased willingness to seek help. In this study, we investigated the association between racialized sexual harassment, Superwoman Schema, and its dimensions, and help-seeking intention. Participants included 155 Black female college students who completed an online survey. We found a negative association between racialized sexual harassment and help-seeking intention. We also found that racialized sexual harassment was positively associated with Superwoman Schema, which in turn correlated with help-seeking intention, suggesting that Superwoman Schema may help explain the association between racialized sexual harassment and help-seeking intention. Further analyses with Superwoman Schema dimensions revealed that both an obligation to suppress emotions and resistance to vulnerability explained the nature of these associations. Findings indicate the complex nature of the Superwoman Schema as a response to gendered racialized oppression.

Leadership Status, Sexual Harassment Training, and Women’s Expectations About Working with Men

Sexual harassment at the workplace constitutes a violation of fundamental human rights, dignity, equality, and the constitutional guarantee of safe working conditions. The enactment of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act) marked a transformative moment in Indian labour jurisprudence by institutionalizing preventive, remedial, and punitive mechanisms against workplace harassment. Over a decade after its implementation, the POSH framework has evolved significantly through judicial interpretation, corporate governance reforms, technological workplace transformations, and emerging gender-sensitivity norms. This article critically examines the development of sexual harassment law in India after the POSH Act, focusing on legislative evolution, compliance challenges, employer liability, procedural safeguards, and recent judicial decisions from 2023–2026. The study analyses landmark Supreme Court and High Court rulings clarifying Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) jurisdiction, limitation periods, evidentiary standards, and procedural fairness. Recent regulatory developments—including mandatory corporate disclosures and proposed statutory amendments—demonstrate a shift from formal compliance toward substantive workplace equality.

Objective This study examined how the characteristics of specific instances of sexual harassment differed across four common college locations, building on previous research by using a larger and more diverse sample. Participants 1,164 undergraduate students, who were predominantly straight (58%), White (48%), cisgender (85%), and women (50%) from 408 U.S. higher education institutions. Methods Participants provided contextual information about common sexually-harassing experiences from the last seven days in an online survey. Results Students reported 4,362 harassing incidents (M = 3.79 per student) during the previous seven days; 59.8% of students reported any harassment. Results of multilevel models (N = 2,225 most upsetting incidents) indicated that similar students were harassed across locations, but experienced harassment from different people and in different ways. Conclusions Findings can support schools and local, state, and federal governments in collaborative efforts to develop more comprehensive sexual harassment interventions tailored for specific contexts.

LGBTQIA+ students in Indian health professional education (HPE) institutions face stigma and discrimination. To pioneer a year-long TransCare Queer Ambassador (QA) model to promote LGBTQIA+ inclusion in admissions, classrooms, residences, and infrastructure; build awareness; and strengthen the on-campus queer community by systematically supporting LGBTQIA+ student ambassadors across HPEs in India. Eight QAs represented eight HPE institutions across seven Indian states, including Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) and Master of Public Health (MPH) students. Through mentorship, peer learning, and training in creative humanities methods like reflective writing, photography, and Forum Theatre, QAs co-developed solutions tailored to their respective institutional contexts. Among Kirkpatrick Model of training evaluation level 4 results, QAs built strong peer-support networks by initiating LGBTQIA+ clubs on campus and forming online communities. They enhanced awareness and visibility through distributing pronoun badges and handbooks about the queer community, holding arts events around lived experiences, and starting dialogue around sexual harassment of LGBTQIA+ students. QAs established gender-neutral washrooms, and inclusive admissions forms and residencies. Despite challenges, if scaled up in India and globally, the QA model could create inclusive spaces and an affirmative health workforce for queer persons. Not applicable.

Abstract Internal sexual harassment persists in UK policing, yet the social mechanisms sustaining silence remain under-specified. We report findings from a vignette-based, anonymous survey of employees in a large UK police force. Across victim and witness scenarios, participants favoured informal resolution over formal complaint, citing organizational distrust, opaque procedures, fear of ostracism, rank hierarchies, and the normalization of ‘banter’. Gendered expectations and shorter tenure further discourage challenges to harassment. Suggested reforms included clearer policies, confidential multi-path reporting, enhanced training—especially bystander roles—and restorative justice for lower-level harms. By foregrounding witnesses and men, we show how occupational solidarity and masculinity shape a bystander calculus that reproduces silence, while also identifying institutional levers for reform.

The purpose of this study was to collect, track and analyze data from the inmates perspective to ensure that sexual abuse and harassment was being adequately prevented, detected and responded to appropriately and within a reasonable time frame. Using the Prison Rape Elimination Act Survey Instrument, inmates were selected using a convenience sampling method to complete the survey. Once an inmate completed the survey during the year, she was taken off the polling roster not to be surveyed again within that year. The perceptions of the female inmates indicated that sexual harassment and sexual abuse at this facility have decreased. However, despite increased staff training and education, inmate perceptions were that verbal abuse continues to occur between staff and inmates as well as between inmates. Department of Corrections (DOC) was required to collect data on PREA and inmate safety for the first time, thus there is no comparison data prior to implementing improvements. A weakness of Likert-type scale is that participants may avoid extreme response categories, which could lead to a central tendency bias. In addition, participants may respond to statements using the option "neither agree nor disagree" to please prison personnel, which could lead to an acquiescence bias in their responses. Zero-tolerance becomes operational, not just policy immediate safety actions after an allegation gender-responsive searches and cross-gender supervision intake screening that actually drives housing and work assignments staff hiring, training and boundaries specialized investigations and evidence handling. Legitimacy and trust in the institution reporting behavior - both up and down culture change and staff-resident relations protection for vulnerable groups health and mental-health access. This study was a result of a US Department of Justice settlement with a state DOC which included polling the female inmates on their physical and sexual safety.

ABSTRACT Workplace mistreatment, including sexual harassment, incivility, and bullying, has been linked with mental health problems. However, evidence is scarce regarding the contribution of these individual and combined forms of mistreatment to the overall mental health burden in the higher education institution (HEI) workforce. This study examined associations between individual and combined forms of workplace mistreatment and self-assessed anxiety and depression among employees in Swedish HEIs, including gender differences. We also investigated the extent to which individual and combined forms of workplace mistreatment contributed to self-assessed anxiety and depression. Data from 14,047 employees across 38 Swedish HEIs were analysed using multivariate logistic regression and population attributable fractions. High levels of incivility and bullying, but not sexual harassment, were significantly associated with increased odds of self-assessed anxiety (p < 0.05). High levels of all three mistreatment types were associated with increased odds of self-assessed depression (p < 0.10). Combined forms of mistreatment were strongly associated with both self-assessed anxiety (p < 0.05) and depression (p < 0.05). Generally, while associations between mistreatment and self-assessed anxiety were stronger among women than men, associations with self-assessed depression were stronger among men than women. 47.19% of self-assessed anxiety cases and 47.39% of depression cases were attributable to individual mistreatment, particularly incivility. These findings confirm that both individual and combined forms of workplace mistreatment contribute considerably to self-assessed anxiety and depression. Effective policies and interventions addressing multiple forms of interpersonal mistreatment are needed in Swedish HEIs. While addressing sexual harassment and bullying is crucial, greater attention must be given to reducing incivility.

Interpersonal violence against athletes (including physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, harassment, and neglect) long remained a blind spot for sport organisations (Mountjoy et al., 2016). For decades, the status quo allowed these violences to be overlooked or dismissed. Yet, this silence has become increasingly untenable as media revelations of abuse cases, alongside expanding academic scrutiny, have exposed the systemic failures of sport to protect its participants (Constandt et al., 2023). In this evolving landscape, the concept of “safeguarding” has become central. Although international sport organisations (ISOs) have employed the term for over a decade and some have implemented initial protective mechanisms, the field has lacked conceptual clarity. This presentation examines how 40 international sport federations have engaged with the safeguarding agenda and to what extent they have translated the discourse of athlete protection into concrete governance mechanisms. It investigates (1) how these organisations articulate safeguarding in their policies and communications; (2) the tools and structures they have adopted and the temporal dynamics of their institutional responses; and (3) how safeguarding is perceived, prioritised, and legitimised within their organisational cultures. Methodologically, this research combines a systematic inventory of safeguarding documents implemented by the 40 international federations, recognised by the IOC; with semi-structured interviews conducted with key stakeholders working on these federations or linked to the field of safeguarding in sport. The findings will highlight shared concerns across the sport sector but reveal a persistent lack of coherence or coordination among organisations. Significant heterogeneity exists in the maturity and scope of safeguarding approaches, ranging from minimal compliance to comprehensive, proactive systems. The analysis ultimately underscores a wide diversity in strategies, resource commitments, and perceived seriousness of safeguarding responsibilities.

Sexual violence affecting university students is a significant problem worldwide. Though recent legislation introduced into UK universities aims to tackle the problem, it remains to be seen how effective this will be. Furthermore, within much existing research and legislation, the voices of minoritised students in relation to the issue are absent. This research utilised qualitative focus groups and interviews with 38 minoritised students from two universities in England. Most are female (n=23) and ages range from 18 to 44 years. Using vignettes, interviews explored help-seeking behaviours in relation to sexual violence and considered intersections with minoritised identities. Thematic analysis suggests that sexual violence is normalised within universities and underpinned by ‘community knowledges’. Structural vulnerabilities and minoritisation impact perceptions of ‘who’ and ‘what’ counts in relation to sexual violence. Students also display a lack of knowledge about support provision at their universities, a finding which highlights universities’ difficulties with informing students about what support is available. Furthermore, we found that students rely heavily on their informal networks in relation to decision-making about help-seeking. Overall, structural vulnerabilities experienced by minoritised students hindered their willingness to report. Intersectional recommendations for university action and policy are offered.