Gender and Sexual Harassment

Abstract

▪ Abstract Research on sexual harassment is still in its infancy. Over the past 20 years, research has moved from prevalence studies to more sophisticated empirical and theoretical analyses of the causes and consequences of sexual harassment. This review provides an overview of the prevalence and measurement of harassment along with some suggestions for developing standard measures of sexual harassment. Researchers are encouraged to include organizational forms of harassment in their measures, along with commonly understood individual forms. The most prominent and promising explanations of harassment are discussed including societal, organizational, and individual level approaches. Of particular promise are approaches incorporating the gendered nature of organizational structures and processes. Research on the responses to and consequences of sexual harassment are also presented. The review ends with a discussion of overlooked areas and directions for future research, including the need for more advanced survey data collection techniques and qualitative research.

Crossing the Line: How Women in the Building Trades Interpret and Respond to Sexual Conduct at Work

“…Numerous studies find that women's experience and labeling of sexual harassment differs from both legal and social science definitions (Welsh 1999). For example, while women in male-dominated and blue-collar jobs experience more prevalent and aggressive forms of sexual conduct (Gutek and Morasch 1982;Ragins and Scandura 1995), women in these settings "are not necessarily more likely to label their experiences as sexual harassment" (Welsh 1999, 178-79).…”

An exploratory study of sexual harassment in Pakistani organizations

“…Studies on sexual harassment (SH) have largely focused on either the outcomes experienced by the direct targets of SH or on defining SH in different organisational and team contexts (Chamberlain et al 2008;Gruber 1992;Raver & Gelfand 2005;Welsh 1999;Mellor & Golay 2014). Most of these studies have been conducted in Western contexts, e.g.…”

“…Most of these studies have been conducted in Western contexts, e.g. in the US, Australia, UK and other EU countries Zippel 2006;Welsh 1999;Fitzgerald, Gelfand & Drasgow 1995). However, the issue of SH in Muslim majority countries (MMCs) remains largely underexplored.…”

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Selected Court Cases and New Legal Provisions in Malaysia

“…Harassment could also take place when no such formal differential exists if the behaviours are unwanted by or offensive to women (Vandana, 2009). Sexual harassment can take several forms, such as cat calls, wolf whistles, 'curb crawling', and sexual jokes and comments which result in an offensive feeling in the affected employee (Welsh, 1999). Harassment can be verbal and includes uncomfortable and offensive teasing, joking, questioning, jesting, kidding or making suggestive remarks or sounds, or verbal repartees (Jensen & Gutek, 1982).…”

“…Their contributions to the workforce and the economy are extremely vital to the development of a country. However, involvement in the workforce has exposed women to sexual harassment in their workplaces (Roger, 2012;Welsh, 1999). Sexual harassment is a universal issue and has increased considerably during the last two decades.…”