Sexual Harassment in Health Institutions in Turkey

Abstract

Sexual harassment is a concept that has become a growing concern globally as it occurs in all areas of life and also in the workplace. In the workplace it is described as any undesirable sexual behavior that is perceived as a threat, border violation, and attack by the exposed person, negatively affecting the employee's ability to do his/her job. This problem disproportionately affects women and can negatively affect their economic and career outcomes. Studies show that sexual harassment cases in health institutions are quite pervasive. Studies examining the sexual harassment of nurses in Turkey determined that the rate of exposure to sexual harassment ranged from 1.5% to 75%. Sexual harassment incidents in health institutions usually occur by relatives of patients, patients, physicians, other healthcare professionals, and colleagues. In this chapter, the definitions, causes, frequency, effects, and consequences of sexual harassment will be discussed.