Sexual Harassment

NTRS 434
Dolores Garcia
Nicole Keally
Leo Ontiveros
Alex Valenzuela
Catherine Veliz

Equal Employment Opportunity

Commission Classifications
1. Quid pro quo
2. Hostile work environment

Circumstances
1. Harasser and victims can be either male or female.
2. Harasser can be the immediate supervisor, agent of
the employer, supervisor from another area, a coworker or a non employee
3. The victim can be anyone affected by the offensive
conduct.
4. Sexual harassment may occur without financial injury
or firing of the victim.
5. The conduct must be unwelcomed.

Statistics
Prevalence: 19% of male employees and 44% of female employees
82% of female targets claimed harasser was Male
18% of female targets claimed harasser was another Female
30% of male targets claimed harasser was another Male
19% of male targets claimed harasser was Female
Behaviors Reported:
Females: Told Offensive sexual stories or
jokes 49%
Whistled, called, or or hooted at you 46%
Made crude/offensive sexual remarks 42%
Stared, leered, or ogled at you 41%
Offensive remarks about appearance 31%

Males: Told Offensive sexual stories or

jokes 27%
Made crude/offensive sexual remarks 20%
Drew you into a sexual discussion 18%
Offensive remarks about appearance 11%

Statistics Continued
Paradox of power
1. Female supervisors more likely to report harassment
2. Women with relatively masculine personalities (e.g., assertive,
dominant, and independent) experienced the most sexual
harassment
a. Women in male-dominated organizations were harassed more
than women in female-dominated organizations
While females are at a greater risk for sexual harassment, males
reported poorer mental health as a consequence and a higher risk for
PTSD

Negative Physical Effects

Stress caused from sexual harassment can
trigger physiological responses:

Increased blood pressure

Heart palpitations
Heart attack
Fibromyalgia

Physical Pain
Reactions to stress caused by sexual
harassment can also cause physical pain
neck & chest pain
headaches
muscle pain (from fatigue & loss of sleep)

Physical Effects
Weight gain
seeking comfort in food

Weight loss
vomiting
loss of appetite

Hives/Allergic Reactions

Effects on psychological well being

Effects on Job Performance
Organizational Withdrawal
Job Behaviors

Psychological Effects
Emotional distress

Effects on Psychological Well Being

Coping Strategies

Tolerating the behavior

Denial
Avoiding the harasser
Trying to forget
Blaming themselves

Prevention
Always think ahead!
Dont wait until an incident occurs to take
action

Training
Overall effective in getting the point across
Two main types of training
Instructor led training
more engagement
Computer (technology based training)
no need for professionals

Evaluation
Dont forget to follow up!
Kirkpatricks (1959) training evaluation
methods
Can be expanded to include:
Cognitive
Skill-based
Affective

Dealing
Keep in mind EEOC
Quid pro quo
Hostile environment

Managers
Make sure to talk to all parties!
Follow guidelines

Employees
Important to voice out concerns
Refer to HR

References
Berdahl, J. L. (2007). The sexual harassment of uppity women. Journal of Applied
Psychology, 92(2), 425.
Garman, A. (2013). Increasing the Effectiveness of Sexual Harassment Prevention Through
Learner Engagement. n.p.: ProQuest, UMI Dissertations Publishing.
McLaughlin, H., Uggen, C., & Blackstone, A. (2012). Sexual harassment, workplace authority,
and the paradox of power. American sociological review,77(4), 625-647
Nielsen, M. B., Bjrkelo, B., Notelaers, G., & Einarsen, S. (2010). Sexual harassment:
Prevalence, outcomes, and gender differences assessed by three different estimation methods. Journal of Aggression,
Maltreatment & Trauma,19(3), 252-274.
Preusser, M. K., Bartels, L. K., PhD., & Nordstrom, C. A., PhD. (2011). Sexual harassment
training: Person versus machine.Public Personnel Management, 40(1), 47-62. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.
com/docview/1664817684?accountid=10352

References
Rospenda, K. M., Richman, J. A., Ehmke J. L., & Zlatoper, K. W. (2005). Is workplace harassment hazardous to your health?
Journal of Business and Psychology, 20, 95-110.
Schneider, K.T., Fitzgerald, L.F., Swan, S. (1997). Job-Related and Psychological Effects of
Sexual Harassment in the workplace. Empirical Evidence from Two Organizations. Journal of Applied Psychology. 82(3),
401- 415.
Society For Human Resource Management. (2015, May 17). EEO: Sexual Harassment: What
are the different types of sexual harassment. Retrieved from http://www.shrm.
org/templatestools/hrqa/pages/typesofsexualharassment.aspx
Strate, J. M., Tae Hwa, J., & Leidlein, J. (2009). Sexual Harassment!. Public Integrity, 12(1), 61-75. doi:10.2753/PIN10999922120105
Street, A. E., Gradus, J. L., Stafford, J., & Kelly, K. (2007). Gender differences in experiences
of sexual harassment: data from a male-dominated environment.Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 75(3), 464.