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Jannite UK, Abedin S, Rahman MM. Technology-facilitated sexual harassment and mental health symptoms among young-adult female student sample in Bangladesh. Arch Womens Ment Health 2024:10.1007/s00737-024-01498-2. [PMID: 39103731 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-024-01498-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE To assess the prevalence of technology-facilitated sexual harassment (TFSH) and its relationships to adverse mental health issues among young adult female students in Bangladesh. METHODS We collected data for this cross-sectional study from July to September 2022 from 455 female students at a large university in Bangladesh. The prevalence of TFSH, self-reported distress, stress, anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts was assessed. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to assess the identified relationships. RESULTS This study found that nearly half of the respondents (46.1%) reported having experienced TFSH. The prevalence of suicidal thoughts, moderate to severe distress, stress, anxiety, and depression was 34.9%, 47.7%, 78.2%, 36.9%, and 59.8%, respectively. Results also reported that, compared to the respondents who did not experience TFSH, those who experienced it were more likely to report adverse mental health issues with higher odds. For example, after controlling for sociodemographic variables, the odds of moderate to severe distress (Adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 3.70; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.36-5.78), stress (AOR: 2.09; 95% CI: 1.25-3.49), anxiety (AOR: 3.80; 95% CI: 2.40-6.03), depression (AOR: 3.32; 95% CI: 2.12-5.18), and having suicidal thoughts (AOR: 4.86; 95% CI: 2.29-7.89) were higher among female students experiencing TFSH than those who did not experience it. CONCLUSIONS TFSH harassment among young adult female students is common and significantly associated with different adverse mental health issues. Attempts at primary intervention for improving mental health status are required to take TFSH into consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umma Khatamun Jannite
- Department of Population Science and Human Resource Development, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, 6205, Bangladesh
| | - Sumaiya Abedin
- Department of Population Science and Human Resource Development, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, 6205, Bangladesh
| | - Md Mosfequr Rahman
- Department of Population Science and Human Resource Development, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, 6205, Bangladesh.
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Johansson F, Edlund K, Sundgot-Borgen J, Björklund C, Côté P, Onell C, Sundberg T, Skillgate E. Sexual harassment, sexual violence and subsequent depression and anxiety symptoms among Swedish university students: a cohort study. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2024:10.1007/s00127-024-02688-0. [PMID: 38926188 DOI: 10.1007/s00127-024-02688-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE To determine the gender-specific impact of recent exposure to different forms of sexual harassment and sexual violence (SHV) on depression and anxiety symptoms three, six, and nine months later. METHODS We recruited 2229 women and 1274 men studying at Swedish universities and followed them with web-surveys every three months over one year. We estimated mean differences (MDs) of depression and anxiety symptoms between exposed and unexposed at each follow-up, adjusting for prior SHV, prior depression and anxiety symptoms and potential confounders. RESULTS For women, sexual harassment (wide subjective definition) was associated with higher symptom levels of depression (MD 1.0 [95% CI: 0.3; 1.7]) and anxiety (MD 0.8 [95% CI: 0.3; 1.4]) three months later. Unwanted sexual attention was associated with higher symptom levels of anxiety three (MD 0.5 [95% CI: 0.1; 0.8]) and six months later (MD 0.4 [95% CI: 0.0; 0.7]). Exposure to sex against ones will was associated with higher depression symptoms three (MD 1.7 [95% CI: 0.1;3.4]), and six months later (MD 3.1 [95% CI: 1.0; 5.2]). Trends indicated that associations with subsequent mental health differed between forms of SHV among women, and that most associations were more pronounced in temporal proximity to the exposures. For men, we refrain from interpreting the results since they showed high variability and were not robust to sensitivity analyses using multiple imputation to account for missing outcome data. CONCLUSIONS Among women, several forms of SHV were associated with higher subsequent depression and anxiety symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fred Johansson
- Department of Health Promotion Science, Sophiahemmet University, Box 5605, Stockholm, 114 86, Sweden.
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Klara Edlund
- Department of Health Promotion Science, Sophiahemmet University, Box 5605, Stockholm, 114 86, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Christina Björklund
- Unit of Intervention and Implementation Research for Worker Health, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Pierre Côté
- Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ontario Tech University, Oshawa, ON, Canada
| | - Clara Onell
- Department of Health Promotion Science, Sophiahemmet University, Box 5605, Stockholm, 114 86, Sweden
| | - Tobias Sundberg
- Department of Health Promotion Science, Sophiahemmet University, Box 5605, Stockholm, 114 86, Sweden
| | - Eva Skillgate
- Department of Health Promotion Science, Sophiahemmet University, Box 5605, Stockholm, 114 86, Sweden
- Unit of Intervention and Implementation Research for Worker Health, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Worke MD, Koricha ZB, Debelew GT. Consequences of exposure to sexual harassment among women working in hospitality workplaces in Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia: a structural equation model. Arch Public Health 2023; 81:7. [PMID: 36653869 PMCID: PMC9847057 DOI: 10.1186/s13690-023-01024-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Sexual harassment is undoubtedly widespread, and many countries have enacted laws to punish and prevent it as insulting behavior. However, its impacts on the job, psyche, and physical health, especially reproductive health, are still severe and noticeable. Thus, this study aimed to examine the impacts of sexual harassment on the job, psychology, physical health, and reproductive health of women in the hospitality industry. METHODS Institution-based cross-sectional survey was conducted between October 1 and November 30, 2021. Data were collected among 689 women who experienced sexual harassment in the hospitality industry. In selecting the participants, two-stage cluster sampling techniques were used. The data collection was carried out in two complementary ways. The model of structural equations examines the relationship between the experience of sexual harassment and coping with consequences. The associations were confirmed via AMOS 23. RESULTS Sexual harassment positively predicted job outcomes and negatively predicted physical health. In contrast, coping with sexual harassment positively predicts health at work and in the body and is negatively associated with health in reproduction. Physical health fully mediated the link between sexual harassment (β = 0.017, t = 0.85, p = 0.022) and reproductive health outcomes and partially mediated (β = -0.021, t = -1.235, p = 0.017) between sexual harassment coping and physical health. The interaction between sexual harassment experiences and work experiences also strengthens the negative relationship between sexual harassment experiences and physical health. CONCLUSIONS The impact of sexual harassment on women's reproductive health was investigated in this study. It expands awareness of the effects of sexual harassment exposure, how to survive it, and how to establish effective preventative strategies, particularly in the hospitality industry. Effective prevention depends on preventing psychological and physical health, ultimately improving reproductive health. Thus, safe workplace initiatives and reproductive health care services are needed. Hospitality organizations should also devise a strategy for providing a supportive environment that can significantly improve women's health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mulugeta Dile Worke
- grid.510430.3College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia ,grid.411903.e0000 0001 2034 9160Department of Population and Family Health, Faculty of Public Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Zewdie Birhanu Koricha
- grid.411903.e0000 0001 2034 9160Department of Health Behavior and Society, Faculty of Public Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Gurmesa Tura Debelew
- grid.411903.e0000 0001 2034 9160Department of Population and Family Health, Faculty of Public Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
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Predictors of Psychological Help Seeking Intentions among the University Students in Tanzania. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COUNSELLING 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10447-022-09500-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Wang S, Eklund L, Yang X. The Association Between Sexual Harassment and Mental Health Among Chinese College Students: Do Gender and Social Support Matter? Int J Public Health 2022; 67:1604922. [PMID: 36119449 PMCID: PMC9474648 DOI: 10.3389/ijph.2022.1604922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: This study examined the association between sexual harassment (SH) and college students’ mental health in the Chinese context and its gender differences, exploring the moderating role of social support. Methods: Data were from the Third Survey of Chinese Women’s Social Status and included 5,032 college students. We employed the ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models with interaction terms to report the moderating effects of gender and social support on the association between SH and mental health. Results: Gender harassment and unwelcome sexual attention were negatively associated with mental health among all students, with no observed gender difference. Financial and large-scale emotional support moderated the association between unwelcome sexual attention and women’s mental health but were not buffer factors for men. Learning support aggravated the adverse association between gender harassment and men’s mental health. Conclusion: SH is a significant trigger for men’s and women’s mental health problems. When they are subjected to SH, financial and emotional support are protective resources for women, but learning support is risky for men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasa Wang
- Department of Sociology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China
- *Correspondence: Sasa Wang,
| | - Lisa Eklund
- Department of Sociology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Xueyan Yang
- The Institute for Population and Development Studies, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
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Al-kreimeen RA, Alghafary NA, Samawi FS. The Association of Emotional Blackmail and Adjustment to College Life Among Warned Female Students at Al-Balqa University Students. Health Psychol Res 2022; 10:34109. [DOI: 10.52965/001c.34109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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« Quand je suis harcelée, je souffre de me penser comme un objet » : objectification de soi, harcèlement sexuel et troubles anxiodépressifs. SEXOLOGIES 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sexol.2021.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Lyons M, Brewer G, Castro Caicedo J, Andrade M, Morales M, Centifanti L. Barriers to sexual harassment bystander intervention in Ecuadorian universities. Glob Public Health 2021; 17:1029-1040. [PMID: 33573511 DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2021.1884278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Previous research, mainly in the United States, has identified several barriers to acting as a bystander in sexual harassment at university campuses. Despite the high frequency of harassment in Latin America, there is a dearth of studies investigating barriers to bystander behaviour in this context. In this pilot study, we report findings exploring harassment and bystander behaviour in university staff and students in Ecuador, a Latin American country characterised by masculine social norms and high levels of gender-based harassment. In an on-line survey, 129 staff and students from universities in different regions of Ecuador answered questions about perceptions of seriousness of harassment, rape myth acceptance, actual incidences of being a perpetrator, victim, or a bystander, and the likelihood and difficulties of bystander action. Women and those who scored higher in rape myth acceptance reported more intervention difficulties. In addition, women and those who had previously perpetrated harassment rated their likelihood of intervening lower. Finally, perceptions of harassment as a serious problem in campuses related to a higher likelihood of intervening as a bystander. We discuss the results in terms of practical applications in devising culturally appropriate bystander intervention workshops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minna Lyons
- School of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Gayle Brewer
- School of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Mabel Andrade
- REMCI (Red Ecuatoriana de Mujeres Científicas), Quito, Ecuador
| | - Marcela Morales
- REMCI (Red Ecuatoriana de Mujeres Científicas), Quito, Ecuador
| | - Luna Centifanti
- School of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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Stevens F, Nurse JRC, Arief B. Cyber Stalking, Cyber Harassment, and Adult Mental Health: A Systematic Review. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2020; 24:367-376. [PMID: 33181026 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2020.0253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
As Internet use increases, there is a growing risk of online harms, including cyber stalking and cyber harassment. However, there has been limited research investigating the impact of such online harms upon adults' well-being. This article engages in a systematic literature review concerning the mental health impact of online stalking and harassment for adult victims to further understand their experiences and the effects these have on their lives. Our research utilized the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis technique to review articles published in eight online databases. A total of 1,204 articles were extracted and, ultimately, 43 articles analyzed. Forty-two of the reviewed articles reported that victims of cyber stalking and/or harassment experienced a multitude of harmful and detrimental consequences for their mental health, including depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and panic attacks. Victims recounted the lack of support they received from the criminal justice system and their subsequent distrust of technology postabuse. Only one study found no relationship between cyber abuse victimization and the well-being dimensions they examined. Our research highlights the need to devise practical solutions to tackle and minimize this victimization. Furthermore, it underlines the necessity for adult education concerning safer technology use, as well as for researchers to be transparent regarding the platforms that victims have been abused on, so we can better infer where and how exactly individuals need support to interact safely online.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jason R C Nurse
- School of Computing, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | - Budi Arief
- School of Computing, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
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