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This study evaluated a sexual harassment program for staff and faculty employees at a metropolitan university. One hundred men and 97 women who participated in the program and 141 men and 178 women who did not participate responded to a self-report questionnaire through campus mail. Analysis of variance was used to test for effects of program participation and employee gender on five outcome variables. Results indicated that participants showed more knowledge about sexual harassment than did nonparticipants and had a stronger attitude that sexual behavior at work is inappropriate. Men had more favorable attitudes toward sexual behavior at work than did women. Moreover, program participation and employee gender interacted, indicating an adverse reaction to the program among male participants. Male participants were less likely than other groups to perceive coercive sexual harassment, less willing to report sexual harassment, and more likely to blame the victim. Implications of the findings are discussed.

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This paper employs theoretical message frameworks from literature on assertiveness, intra-organizational influence, and message design logic to present an interpersonal communication approach for managing sexual harassment in organizations. A multiple-goals interpretation of the literature on sexual harassment is used to understand the situational features that make sexual harassment difficult to deflect through face-to-face communication. The discussion of situational features provides a general context for evaluating the potential effectiveness of message strategies that may be used to manage sexual harassment. The paper concludes with guidelines for developing education programs in organizations and with suggestions for research in the area.

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