Sexual harassment in higher education – a systematic review

Women's experiences of sexual harassment in the retail clothing industry: a grounded theory study

Introduction

Sexual harassment is a significant problem in workplaces all over the world. Women's reactions to sexual harassment are influenced by various factors. The aim of the current study was to investigate how women respond sexual harassment in the retail clothing industry.

Methods

In-depth face-to-face interviews were conducted with 16 women aged 23-44 years (mean 29.18 years) employed for at least 3 years in clothes shops in Shiraz, Iran. A grounded theory approach was used to analysis the data and raise hypotheses.

Results

The main perpetrators of sexual harassment for female saleswomen were male customers. The women experienced conflict-induced stimulation (core phenomenon) when they were faced with sexual harassing behaviors (causal conditions). Such stimulation prompted three types of coping strategies: silence, avoidance, or confrontation. Intervening factors like the characteristics of the Iranian society (including family mores, state-imposed hijab regulations, patriarchal culture, educational system, and regulatory monitoring) and contextual factors (including individual and environmental factors and particularly employer expectations) were found to influence the selection of strategies used as well as their potential consequences in challenging situations.

Conclusion

The current study used a grounded theory approach to produce an explanatory storyline that can be tested. Sexual harassment induces conflict-induced stimulation and responses are influenced by intervening conditions, contextual factors, selected strategies, and the perceived consequences of the response. The findings of the grounded theory study suggest that there are negative consequences, particularly in terms of lack of employer support and losing one's job, shame, and family disapproval which act as barriers for female saleswomen to counteracting sexual harassment from male customers. Such an understanding can also be applied to develop educational policies to support women as well as ameliorate the prevalence of this essentially illegal problem.

A Comparative Account of Institutional Approaches to Addressing Campus-Based Sexual Violence in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand

Sexual violence is prevalent on university campuses globally. In this article, we report a qualitative insider research study examining practices for addressing sexual violence at four universities across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. We collected, analysed, and synthesised descriptive information about the practices at each institution. We found unique institutional approaches that nonetheless share some commonalities, yieldingseveral themes that are central to practice. In reflecting on our findings, we conclude with an outline of critical considerations and a call to action for future efforts to address campus-based sexual violence, particularly as this field remains underdeveloped across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

Sexual Violence Among Higher Education Students in the United Kingdom: Results from the Oxford Understanding Relationships, Sex, Power, Abuse and Consent Experiences Study

Sexual violence (SV) experienced by higher education students is a prevalent public health problem. Collecting data on SV through self-report surveys in higher education institutions (HEIs) is essential for estimating the scope of the problem, the first step to adequately resourcing and implementing prevention and response programming and policies. However, in the United Kingdom, data is limited. We used data from the cross-sectional Oxford Understanding Relationships, Sex, Power, Abuse and Consent Experiences survey, administered to all students at a university in the United Kingdom in May 2021 (n = 25,820), to estimate the past year prevalence of SV. We analyzed data from respondents who answered at least one question on SV (n = 1,318) and found that 20.5% of respondents experienced at least one act of attempted or forced sexual touching or rape, and 52.7% of respondents experienced at least one act of sexual harassment (SH). We found that women experienced the highest rates of SV. Attempted forced sexual touching was far more common than forced sexual touching, or rape. Sexist remarks or jokes were the most common act of SH. Most acts of SV took place at the university. These findings reveal that the prevalence of SV in HEIs in the United Kingdom could be far higher than what is experienced in the general population. While this study reflects the context in only one institution, it underlines the need for continued monitoring to develop rigorous, evidence-based, and targeted prevention and response strategies.

Preventing Sexual Harassment in Higher Education: A Framework for Prevention Science Program Development

Sexual harassment is an intractable problem that harms the students, community, culture, and success of institutes of higher education (IHEs). The alarming prevalence of sexual harassment at IHEs highlights the urgent need for effective prevention programs. However, there are few empirically supported preventive interventions that effectively target the factors that most impact the determinants, trajectory, and short- and intermediate-term effects of sexual harassment. In this paper, we overview the problem of sexual harassment and propose an organizing framework to help IHEs develop effective interventions to prevent sexual harassment. Guided by prevention science, we propose a framework-modified from SAMHSA's (2019) guidelines for prevention practitioners-that underscores the criticality of trauma- and equity-informed characteristics in prevention programs. We offer a discussion on how IHEs must consider and evaluate the empirical evidence of effectiveness, flexibility, cultural competency, and sustainability when developing and adapting prevention programs to reduce and-ultimately-ameliorate sexual harassment. We conclude with recommendations that can provide a roadmap for higher education stakeholders and researchers to prevent this urgent public health concern.

Web-Based Initiatives to Prevent Sexual Offense Perpetration: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Web-based programs to prevent sexual offense perpetration could provide an opportunity that avoids many of the barriers associated with in-person treatment. The aim of this systematic review is to give an overview of the literature on web-based initiatives aimed at sexual offense perpetration prevention published during the last 10 years (2013-2023) and to report data on the efficacy as well as issues of the discussed initiatives.

RECENT FINDINGS

We included 18 empirical studies discussing web-based perpetration prevention initiatives, of which six are randomized controlled trials. Among the articles, four cover programs focusing on prevention of sexual reoffending and 14 discuss programs aimed at preventing initial sexual offenses. Evaluations and observations of web-based initiatives aimed at preventing sexual offense perpetration show overall promising results and are well-appreciated. However, evaluation studies are scarce and more randomized controlled trials replicating this effect are warranted.

The Role of Intersectionality and Context in Measuring Gender-Based Violence in Universities and Research-Performing Organizations in Europe for the Development of Inclusive Structural Interventions

The aim of the article is to discuss how thinking about gender-based violence intersectionally and in context can not only enrich our understanding but also lead to transformative change in organizations. The article argues that to better understand gender-based violence in universities and research institutions, analyses need to be intersectional and contextual. Such approaches go beyond binary understandings of gender and narrow legalistic definitions of gender-based violence. The article reflects on how to operationalize this to derive starting points for intersectional categories to consider and contextual factors to measure at micro-, meso-, and macro-levels. It concludes that a multilevel intersectional analysis leads to more nuanced knowledge on experiences of gender-based violence and is, therefore, better equipped to inform the development of measures to eradicate the problem in an inclusive way.

How harassment is depriving universities of talent: a national survey of STEM academics in the UK

Introduction

Despite efforts to increase girls' interest in subjects related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers, there remains a large gender gap in STEM academic faculty.

Methods

We conducted a national survey comprising 732 early career and senior academics from 40 universities in the UK to investigate the role of pull (receiving career advancement opportunities) and push (experiencing harassment) factors in shaping people's intentions to stay in STEM academia, and the mediating role of perceived workplace climate, academic identification, and beliefs about the ability to succeed (job-related self-efficacy).

Results

Our findings show the differential effect of harassment experiences for women, relative to men. Women experienced more harassment than men, which contributes to their higher intentions to leave academia through enhancing perceptions of a negative workplace climate (i.e., a less collaborative, fair, and inclusive climate) and lower job-related identification (i.e., believing in their ability to succeed as researchers). While receiving opportunities also related to intentions of leaving academia, we did not observe a gender difference in this factor.

Discussion

The result of our analysis underlines the critical importance of preventing and addressing harassment in academic institutions for the retention of female academic talent.

Sexual harassment exposure among junior high school students in Norway: prevalence and associated factors

Background

Sexual harassment is common in most countries and cultures. Less is known about sexual harassment, its risk factors, and psychosocial outcomes among young adolescents. The aim of the study was to examine the 12-month prevalence of sexual harassment exposure, and sociodemographic and psychosocial factors associated with exposure among junior high school students in Norway.

Methods

A comprehensive cross-sectional study was completed by 83,297 Norwegian adolescents in junior high school in 2021. Data on exposure to sexual harassment were used in combination with sociodemographic measures and psychosocial outcomes: depressive symptoms, loneliness, self-esteem, and well-being. Group differences were analyzed with Chi Square tests, and sociodemographic risk factors were analyzed with logistic regression. Psychosocial outcomes were assessed with multivariate and univariate ANOVAs, and dose-response relationships were assessed with linear regression.

Results

Among the adolescents, 32.6% had experienced sexual harassment during the past year. Girls had higher odds of exposure (OR: 1.90, 95% CI: 1.84-1.96), whereas adolescents whose parents had higher education had lower odds (OR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.90-0.99). Exposure was associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms (partial η2 [ES] = 0.11) and loneliness (ES = 0.07), and with lower self-esteem (ES = 0.06) and well-being (ES = 0.06). Among exposed adolescents, more frequent exposure was associated with poorer outcomes.

Conclusion

Exposure to sexual harassment affects one third of junior high school students in Norway. Those who are exposed have poorer psychosocial outcomes, and there is a dose-response relationship between exposure and outcomes. Awareness of sexual harassment among young adolescents, and interventions to prevent and reduce it, are needed.

Testing the effectiveness of interactive training on sexual harassment and assault in field science

Fieldwork is a critical tool for scientific research, particularly in applied disciplines. Yet fieldwork is often unsafe, especially for members of historically marginalized groups and people whose presence in scientific spaces threatens traditional hierarchies of power, authority, and legitimacy. Research is needed to identify interventions that prevent sexual harassment and assault from occurring in the first place. We conducted a quasi-experiment assessing the impacts of a 90-min interactive training on field-based staff in a United States state government agency. We hypothesized that the knowledge-based interventions, social modeling, and mastery experiences included in the training would increase participants' sexual harassment and assault prevention knowledge, self-efficacy, behavioural intention, and behaviour after the training compared to a control group of their peers. Treatment-control and pre-post training survey data indicate that the training increased participants' sexual harassment and assault prevention knowledge and prevention self-efficacy, and, to a lesser extent, behavioural intention. These increases persisted several months after the training for knowledge and self-efficacy. While we did not detect differences in the effect of the training for different groups, interestingly, post-hoc tests indicated that women and members of underrepresented racial groups generally scored lower compared to male and white respondents, suggesting that these groups self-assess their own capabilities differently. Finally, participants' likelihood to report incidents increased after the training but institutional reports remained low, emphasizing the importance of efforts to transform reporting systems and develop better methods to measure bystander actions. These results support the utility of a peer-led interactive intervention for improving workplace culture and safety in scientific fieldwork settings. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: "The stage 1 protocol for this Registered Report was accepted in principle on August 24, 2022. The protocol, as accepted by the journal, can be found at: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.21770165 .

Evaluating an online module for sexual violence prevention in a tertiary educational setting: An exploratory study

ISSUE ADDRESSED

Sexual violence is an important public health issue affecting significant numbers of university students across Australia and internationally. In response, online modules have been widely implemented and there is an urgent need to better understand their effectiveness. The aim of this study was to evaluate an online sexual violence prevention and response education module designed for and implemented in one Australian university.

METHODS

We used a mixed-methods approach that included pre/post module completion surveys of key measures relating to sexual consent, being a bystander, and response to disclosures as well as knowledge of resources and support services. We conducted post module completion semi-structured interviews.

RESULTS

Results indicated potential effectiveness of the module on beliefs about sexual consent, confidence intervening when witnessing potentially harmful situations, willingness to report incidents, confidence supporting a peer who discloses an incident, and knowledge of support services. Qualitative results indicated support for the online module as an accessible, private and self-paced tool for sexual violence education. Interactive, relevant and engaging content that can be applied in real-life contexts was noted as key for effectiveness.

CONCLUSIONS

This exploratory study suggests there may be potential for online modules to be effective, as one aspect of universities' sexual violence prevention and response strategies-particularly modules aimed at addressing primary, secondary and tertiary prevention. Further rigorous research is required to strengthen best practice in the development and implementation of online modules as part of whole-of-campus strategies. SO WHAT?: Universities across Australia and internationally are grappling with sexual violence response and prevention in light of high prevalence rates among students. Online modules may be one effective tool when implemented as part of a wider strategy.

Association Between Sexual Harassment Intervention Strategies and the Sexual Harassment Perception and Attitude of University Students in Beijing, China

Sexual harassment in universities harms the physical and psychological health and development of students. Although Chinese universities are required to implement sexual harassment interventions, few studies have estimated how well interventions are perceived by students and the association with their perceptions and attitudes toward sexual harassment. This study aims to examine the perceptions and attitudes toward sexual harassment and perceived sexual harassment interventions among university students. Further, it evaluated the association between sexual harassment interventions and sexual harassment perceptions and attitudes among university students and explored potential gender differences in the observed associations. We categorized sexual harassment interventions into three types of strategies (informal education activities, prevention mechanisms, and multiformat publicity) and designed an 8-item scale for sexual harassment perception and a 10-item scale for sexual harassment attitude. A total of 872 students were recruited from six universities in Beijing, China. Association between intervention strategies and sexual harassment perceptions and attitudes was analyzed using multiple linear regression. The results showed that 78.56% of the university students recognized all sexual harassment behaviors, and 11.58% felt angry about all sexual harassment behaviors. Male students felt angrier at same-sex harassment than female students (p < .001). Overall, the students were aware of approximately 3 of the 13 sexual harassment interventions. None of the three intervention strategies was significantly associated with perceptions of sexual harassment (p > .050). The attitude toward sexual harassment was positively associated with informal education activities (coeff = 0.055, p = .015) and multiformat publicity (coeff = 0.077, p = .030) among female students, and negatively associated with prevention mechanisms (coeff = -0.123, p = .033) among male students. Our findings imply that sexual harassment interventions are not well known among university students. Universities should develop and propagate more sexual harassment informal education activities and multiformat publicity intervention strategies and pay more attention to gender differences in intervention strategies.

Patterns of Sexual Harassment: An Intersectional Approach to Reported Victimization in a Campus Climate Survey of Students at Irish Higher Education Institutions

This study explores how identifying with multiple minority groups relates to sexual harassment victimization (SHV) among students in higher education institutions in Ireland (n = 6,002). Results show that gender nonconforming and female students were more likely than males to experience SHV. Bisexual or queer and gay or lesbian students were more likely than their heterosexual peers to experience SHV. Students with a physical or cognitive disability were more likely to experience SHV than those who reported no disability, and white students were more likely than minority ethnic groups to experience SHV. When controlling for sexual orientation, gender, and disability status, students who identified as both gay and lesbian and reported a cognitive disability were 8.5 times more likely to experience SHV. Victims of SHV reported having lower scores on perceived institutional support items than those who had not experienced SHV.

Psychosocial study environment characteristics associated with exposure to sexual harassment at a large public university in southern Sweden: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Universities can be understood as work-like environments for students, with similar risks and expectations regarding psychosocial environment. Limited research has examined this study environment from a Demand-Control-Support perspective with regard to sexual harassment. Understanding this environment is key to designing protective measures. This study aimed to examine the association between individual and psychosocial study environment characteristics and exposure to sexual harassment among students at Lund University, Sweden.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study utilised data from an online survey conducted among students. Questions on background characteristics, exposure to sexual harassment while at university and psychosocial study environment as measured by a Demand-Control-Support-instrument were used. Bivariate, and multivariable logistic regressions were used, together with Population Attributable Fractions (PAF), and synergy indexes (SI).

RESULTS

High demands and low control were independently associated with higher odds of being exposed to sexual harassment among both females and males (OR 1.41, OR 1.26 and OR 1.55, OR1.34, respectively). When adjusting for background characteristics, high study strain (combination of high demands and low control) was associated with exposure to sexual harassment among both female and male respondents (aOR 1.67 and 1.98 respectively) and could account for PAF of 14% and 15% of study environment sexual harassment for females and males, respectively. Low lecturer support was associated with higher odds for sexual harassment among females (aOR 1.19) but not males. Little evidence was found for a buffering effect of student support on high strain and sexual harassment (SI 0.7).

CONCLUSION

Working to reduce situations of high strain study environments could be an effective strategy for reducing sexual harassment in university settings. Improving support from lecturers could also modify this relationship, but more research is required to identify causal pathways underlying this result.

Codesigning Policy-Based Solutions to Discrimination and Harassment in Academic Medicine: An Inclusive Approach

ABSTRACT

Academic medicine institutions have historically employed policies as a means to tackle various types of discrimination and harassment within educational and professional settings, thereby affirming their dedication to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. However, the implementation and effectiveness of policies are constrained by limitations, including a lack of awareness and barriers to reporting. Due to concerns about accountability and transparency, many groups and individuals experiencing discrimination have lost trust in policy-based solutions to address equity in academic medicine. To address such challenges, the authors offer an evidence-informed policy framework with actionable recommendations. First, policy should be cowritten through meaningful and participatory engagement. Second, organizations should publicly report on metrics of policy effectiveness. Third, to ensure accountability, external organizations or adjudicators should be involved in oversight of policy-based processes. Fourth, leadership commitment is essential for success. Overall, policy can be an effective mechanism to address discrimination and harassment; however, a more inclusive approach is needed.

Sexual Harassment in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Qualitative Systematic Review

Sexual harassment is a pervasive form of gender-based violence that has negative social and health impacts, yet there is only limited research available on sexual harassment in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The aim of this qualitative systematic review was to better understand how participants across a variety of countries and settings conceptualized sexual harassment and to investigate its causal factors, consequences, coping strategies, and recommendations for prevention and interventions. We searched eight databases and included English language qualitative studies published from 1990 until June 2021 if they mentioned sexual harassment in LMICs and included female or male participants aged 12 and older. This resulted in 34 included studies. Overall, this review established that sexual harassment was salient in participants' lives, yet their conceptualizations of sexual harassment varied widely and were strongly influenced by contextual and sociocultural factors. Overall, our review has highlighted (1) the conflation of sexual harassment and sexual violence, (2) the intersections of gendered power with other hierarchies of authority, age, and socio-economic status and how the role of power is different in street versus educational and workplace settings, (3) the patriarchal norms, gender inequalities, and normalization of gender-based violence that enable sexual harassment and silence those affected by it, (4) the varied expectations of how women should cope with sexual harassment in order for their experiences to be validated, and (5) the need for gender norms change and fair and effective policies in order to not only prevent sexual harassment but also address the underlying causes.

The presence, action, and influence of bystanders who witness sexual harassment against medical students

PURPOSE

Sexual harassment (SH) is a widespread problem in academia, with a disproportionate impact on female medical students and those who experience marginalization via multiple systems of oppression (e.g. racism, heterosexism). Bystander intervention education is a potential approach which frames violence as a community issue where all members have a role to play in response and prevention. This study assessed the presence and influence of bystanders in SH situations for students at two medical schools.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data came from a larger U.S. campus climate study administered online in 2019 and 2020. The sample included 584 students who responded to validated survey questions about sexual harassment experiences, bystander behavior, disclosure, perceptions of the university response to SH, and demographics.

RESULTS

More than one-third of respondents experienced some form of SH by a faculty/staff member. Bystanders were present for more than half of these incidents, yet they rarely intervened. When bystanders intervened, people were more likely to disclose an incident than not.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate that there are many missed opportunities for intervention and given the profound impact that SH has on the well-being of medical students, continued work is needed to determine effective intervention and prevention methods.[Box: see text].

University students' experiences of sexual harassment: the role of gender and psychological resilience

This study aimed to investigate university students' experiences of different types of sexually harassing behaviors, within academia, as well as the role of gender and psychological resilience regarding their victimization and its consequences. Overall, 2,134 students (70.5% women), both undergraduates (81%) and postgraduates (19%), completed a self-reported online questionnaire regarding the variables involved (sexual harassment, consequences, and resilience). According to the results, the most prevailing types of sexually harassing behaviors, which were experienced mainly by women students, included offensive sexual comments/jokes/stories, inappropriate comments about one's body/appearance/sex life, as well as obscene ways of staring, obscene gestures, and/or exposure of body parts causing embarrassment. Accordingly, the perceived psycho-emotional and academic consequences of sexual harassment were more pronounced in the case of women. Furthermore, psychological resilience was negatively associated with gender, making women with low resilience more vulnerable to experiences of sexual harassment and more affected by its consequences. This study highlights important aspects of this gender-based aggressive behavior in academia and emphasizes the necessity for the implementation of appropriate policies and interventions in higher education institutions against sexual harassment.

Consortium for violence prevention research, leadership training, and implementation for excellence (CONVERGE): a protocol to train science leaders in gender-based-violence and violence-against-children research for impact

Background

Gender-based violence (GBV) and violence against children (VAC) are two prevalent and highly interconnected global health challenges, yet data and research capacities to study these forms of violence and to generate evidence-based policies and programs remain limited. To address critical shortages in research capacity in Vietnam and to establish a model for other Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), we are establishing CONVERGE-the Consortium for Violence Prevention Research, Implementation, and Leadership Training for Excellence.

Methods

Based on a needs assessment with partners in Vietnam, CONVERGE will provide a comprehensive research training program supporting 15 long-term, postdoctoral trainees with multi-disciplinary research training in GBV and VAC. We also will offer in-country trainings and short-courses to 40 short-term mid-career academic trainees and 60 short-term practitioner/stakeholder trainees over 5  years to build productive GBV and VAC academic, scientific, and practitioner networks. The CONVERGE training program has four components: (1) 14 h of virtual/in-person annual mentorship training to prepare research mentors and to create a pipeline of future mentors in Vietnam; (2) a one-month intensive research training for long-term postdoctoral fellows at Emory University; (3) a structured 17-month, in-country mentored research project for long-term trainees that results in a peer-reviewed manuscript and a subsequent grant submission; and, (4) week-long in-country intensive translational trainings on implementation science, advanced topics in leadership, and advanced topics in science dissemination. Opportunities for on-going virtual training and professional networking will be provided for CONVERGE trainees and mentors in Vietnam with other trainees and mentors of D43s focused on injury/violence prevention, D43s housed at Emory, and D43s with other institutions in Southeast Asia. To assess the reach, implementation, fidelity, and effectiveness of these four components, we will implement a rigorous, mixed-methods, multi-level evaluation strategy using process and outcome measures. Findings from the evaluation will be used to refine program components for future trainee and mentor cohorts and to assess long-term program impact.

Discussion

Led by Emory University in the US and Hanoi Medical University in Vietnam, CONVERGE represents leading institutions and experts from around the world, with a goal of providing mentorship opportunities for early-career scientists with an interest in violence prevention.

Does the Faculty's Perception of Gender Discrimination Relate to Its Assessment of Organizational Democracy in the University?

This work aimed to study the relationship between the perception of organizational democracy and gender discrimination at a Chilean public university. It is known that organizational democracy is not only about organizational life but also about democratic perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors in social life, as found in academic contexts. The methodology used factor analysis and descriptive and inferential statistical techniques to analyze data from a survey administered to 704 university faculty members, with a response rate of 58.1%. The gender distribution of this respondent population was 67% male and 37% female, values equivalent to the Chilean public university system (60% and 40%, respectively). The results highlight the importance of gender perspective in higher education. Indeed, academics who perceive greater gender discrimination toward women appreciate the deployment of organizational democracy to a lesser extent. Moreover, a high perception of discrimination on the part of women is confirmed (46%), them being, in turn, the ones who show a greater predisposition toward gender equality. This research intends to contribute to the development of strategies to remove obstacles to gender equality and improve the commitment of the academic community to institutional progress.

Approach to theoretical perspectives of "sexual harassment": review and bibliometric analysis from social sciences

The main goal of this paper is to give an overlook of the current state of sexual harassment. In order to do so, we started making a synthesis of the main theoretical approaches to explain sexual harassment, trying to group the studies into different currents that have historically analyzed this type of violence, to see whether the bibliometric analysis shows a similar presence of the different approaches. To carry out the bibliographic analysis we extracted the documents from the Scopus databases (using the keyword "sexual harassment" up to the year 2021 in the field of social sciences), where after these texts were examined with the tool VOSviewer. A description was made of the evolution of the number of articles on sexual harassment and within the areas of research and, also, the coincidences of keywords and co-authorships, highlighting the nationality and the main authors in number of citations. The results show a growth in interest in researching sexual harassment, specifically after the allegations against producer Harvey Weinstein and the #metoo movement. In the keyword analysis, there is a trend towards studies focused on the work environment and with a gender perspective. Finally, in the cluster analysis of the authorship of the texts, the results suggest the different theoretical approaches most used in the analysis of sexual harassment: socio-cultural, organizational, and multi-dimensional.

Campus interpersonal violence survivor advocacy services

Objective: Although there has been increased attention to campus interpersonal violence, there is limited information on survivor advocacy services. Participants: We recruited participants from 155 U.S. institutions of higher education responsible for advocacy services on their campus. Methods: We used a community participatory action approach in partnership with the Campus Advocacy and Prevention Professionals Association to develop and disseminate a survey regarding campus advocacy services. Results: Participants shared critical insights about (a) advocacy staffing/caseload, (b) program structure, (c) advocacy practices, and (d) connection to services for people who had caused harm. We found that advocacy programs are often providing best practice services for survivors of violence but operating with few staff and unclear privacy protections. Conclusions: This study provided crucial preliminary information about how campuses provide advocacy services, but more researcher-practitioner engagement is needed to build on this study and establish clear practice guidelines.

'Show Us a Kiss!': The Everyday Sexual Harassment Experiences of Female Lesbian, Bisexual, and Queer Students

This study explored the experiences of lesbian, bisexual, and queer (LBQ) students' (N = 9, aged 19-24) of sexual harassment via semistructured interviews. Data were analysed using a thematic analysis. Three overarching themes emerged: (a) the paradox of men's unwanted sexual attention, (b) the negative impact on relationships, and (c) the LGBTQ* community as a refuge. The women reported enduring unwanted heteronormative sexual attention, and heterosexist and homophobic harassment which forced some to conceal their sexuality. Support for the LGBTQ* community was central in developing confidence to call-out harassment. The findings call for the inclusion of LBQ-specific messages in sexual violence awareness and prevention interventions.

Relationship between Sexual Violence and the Health of Spanish Women-A National Population-Based Study

BACKGROUND

Health consequences are likely to be different when sexual violence is analysed independently from other types of violence. It is also likely that different health consequences will result in the cases of partner or ex-partner sexual violence, non-partner sexual violence and sexual harassment.

METHODS

This study is based on the 2019 Macro-survey of Violence against Women conducted by the Spanish Ministry of Equality on a sample of 9568 women aged 16 years or older. Odds ratios were calculated, and multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed.

RESULTS

The present study estimates that 4 out of 10 surveyed women had experienced some form of sexual violence in their lifetime. Sexual harassment is the most frequently reported form of this violence, while intimate partner sexual violence is the form with the most unfavourable sociodemographic characteristics and the worst health impact indicators, such as a greater likelihood of suicidal behaviour.

CONCLUSIONS

Sexual violence is a widespread, under-studied problem with negative health impacts. Women exposed to intimate partner violence are the most vulnerable and at risk. It is advised that responses and comprehensive care plans be developed that place special emphasis on the protection of victims' mental health.

Understanding, Experience, and Response Strategies to Sexual Harassment Among Chinese College Students

Sexual harassment is a serious problem, and with a growing population of college students in China, the phenomenon is becoming prevalent. Using the 2010 data from the Third Survey on Chinese Women's Social Status, we examined relationships between understanding of sexual harassment and experience/response among Chinese college students. The results show that college students understand physical sexual harassment better (88%; unwanted sexual requests: 92%) than verbal and visual sexual harassment (54% and 70%, respectively). Understanding is higher among females than males, with a margin between eight to 21%. At a prevalence of 30%, the experience of verbal sexual harassment is the highest compared to other forms of harassment. Males were more likely to experience verbal and visual sexual harassment, while females were more likely to experience physical sexual harassment. In any event of sexual harassment, expressing dissatisfaction and stopping it is the response strategy that most resonates with respondents. It varied between 62% and 70% across forms of sexual harassment. Reporting to teachers or school authorities resonates least, varying between 0.30% and 2.28%. Understanding sexual harassment was strongly associated with a reduced likelihood of harassment. The equivalent odds ratios varied between 0.41 and 0.33 (p < .001), or 59-67% reduced likelihood across the forms of sexual harassment. Understanding sexual harassment was also strongly associated with an increased likelihood of not reacting passively or staying silent. Odds ratio varied between 1.99 and 3.86 (p < .001), about a minimum of twofold increased likelihood. Parents should strive to involve in their children's sex and sexual rights education, particularly during adolescence, to help them inculcate values against sexual harassment. Also, colleges and universities can bolster their curriculum with elective courses on sex education and regularly organize symposiums on sexual harassment to create a better understanding and awareness among students.

Psychometric Properties of the Acoso Sexual en las Instituciones de Educación Superior Scale (ASIES) in an Ecuadorian Sample

Sexual harassment has become increasingly common in Ecuador's higher education centers. However, due to the lack of instruments that evaluate sexual harassment, the magnitude of this phenomenon in Ecuador is unknown. This research aims to analyze the construct validity and internal consistency reliability of a sexual harassment measurement scale in higher education institutions (ASIES). The instrument analyzes 21 behaviors related to sexual harassment. The sample consisted of 4628 people. A descriptive analysis of the items, item-total correlation analysis, and both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis are performed to test the internal structure of the scale. It was found that the 4-factor model and a second-order factor presented a better fit (CFI = .99, TLI = .99, SRMR = .075, and RMSEA = .018). The results confirm the four dimensions proposed.

"Mobilizing our leaders": A multi-country qualitative study to increase the representation of women in global health leadership

INTRODUCTION

Women play an essential role in health care delivery, and it is vital that they have equal representation in health leadership for equity, innovation, and the strengthening of health systems globally. Yet women remain vastly underrepresented in global health leadership positions, providing a clear example of the deeply rooted power imbalances that are central to the calls to decolonize global health. We conducted a multi-country study in Haiti, Tanzania, India, and the USA to examine gender-based challenges to career advancement for women in the global health workforce. Quantitative data on the type and prevalence of gender-based challenges has been previously reported. In this study, we analyze qualitative data collected through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews to understand women's experiences of gender-based obstacles to career advancement, their perceptions of underlying drivers, and perspectives on effective solutions. Guided by an adaptation of the Social Action Theory, we conducted focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with women at 4 major academic centers for clinical care and research in Haiti, India, Tanzania, and the United States. In total, 85 women participated in focus groups and 15 also participated in in-depth interviews. Discussions and interviews were conducted in the local language, by an experienced local facilitator unaffiliated with the participating institution, between 2017 and 2018. Discussions were recorded, transcribed, and translated. Data were analyzed by interpretive phenomenological methods for emergent themes. Three transcendent themes on gender-based challenges were identified: 1) cultural power imbalance, referring to the prevailing norms and engrained assumptions that women are less capable than men and that women's primary responsibility should be to their families; 2) institutional power imbalance, referring to the systematic gender bias upheld by existing leadership and power structures, and ranging from exclusion from career development opportunities to sexual harassment and assault; and 3) restricted agency, referring to women's limited ability to change their circumstances because of unequal cultural and institutional structures. Participants also described local, actionable solutions to address these barriers. These included: 1) formal reporting systems for sexual harassment and assault; 2) peer support and mentorship; and 3) accessible leadership training and mandatory gender equity training. Participants proposed feasible strategies to address gender-based challenges that could improve women's retention in health careers and foster their rise to leadership. Increasing the representation of women in global health leadership positions responds directly to efforts to decolonize global health and is integral to strengthening health systems and improving health outcomes for women and children worldwide.

"It Gives You a Feeling of Pride when You Touch Her": The Role of Masculinity in Sexual Harassment of Adolescent Schoolgirls in Tanzania

Sexual harassment or the unwanted offensive behaviours that women and girls experience is a pervasive global challenge. Yet, there is limited evidence on the lived experiences of sexual harassment from school-based settings in sub-Saharan Africa. We explore students' perceived experiences, perpetration, and drivers of sexual harassment in schools in Mwanza, Tanzania. This study employed a qualitative research design involving 30 in-depth interviews and seven focus group discussions with 30 male and 40 female secondary school pupils aged 13-19 years. Data was analysed using a thematic approach. The findings show that experiences of sexual harassment among schoolgirls were widespread. Common forms of harassment were verbal and non-verbal gestures of a sexual nature. The desire to prove one's masculinity and peer pressure were key drivers of perpetration among schoolboys. Teachers took advantage of their positions of authority to sexually harass female pupils and employed corporal punishment to those who resisted their advances. Sexual harassment had multiple negative outcomes, including schoolgirls dropping out of school and mental health issues, such as anxiety, stress and poor academic performance. Girls rarely reported sexual harassment for fear of further victimisation and stigma from others. Sexual harassment of girls is common in secondary schools in Mwanza and is mainly driven by peer pressure and the desire to prove one's masculinity. Given its harmful effects, there is a need to implement clear policies to protect girls, support confidential disclosure and reporting and to address toxic masculinity norms among young men.

Validation of Lund University Sexual Harassment Inventory (LUSHI)-A Proposed Instrument for Assessing Sexual Harassment among University Employees and Students

The objective was to investigate the validity and reliability of a new instrument assessing sexual harassment at a public university in Sweden. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions resulted in a 10-item instrument, the 'Lund University Sexual Harassment Inventory' (LUSHI). A survey was sent to all staff, including PhD students, and students, with a response rate of 33% (n = 2736) and 32% (n = 9667), respectively. Exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha statistics were applied. Having experienced one or more of 10 specific behaviors was defined as sexual harassment exposure and was reported by 17.1% of staff/PhD students and 21.1% of students. Exploratory factor analysis yielded two factors with Eigenvalues above 1, labeled 'unwanted sexual attention of soliciting type' and 'unwanted sexual attention of non-soliciting type'. Rape/attempted rape fell outside of the two factors. The Cronbach's alpha values of the original 10-item scale and of the two newly formed scales were 0.80, 0.80, and 0.66, respectively. The mentioned statistics were markedly similar among men, women, and non-binary individuals and between staff/PhD students and students. We conclude that the 10-item instrument could be used for assessing sexual harassment in university settings or any type of workplace.

Sexual harassment among employees and students at a large Swedish university: who are exposed, to what, by whom and where - a cross-sectional prevalence study

BACKGROUND

Sexual harassment (SH) in the workplace is prevalent and associated with poor health. Universities are large workplaces with complex formal and informal power relations, which may influence the prevalence of SH. Although employees and students share the university context, few studies on SH have included both groups. The overall aim of the study was to investigate SH among employees and students at a large Swedish public university regarding types of harassment, prevalence in different groups, characteristics of the perpetrators, and the circumstances in which it occurs.

METHODS

A cross-sectional analysis was performed, based on a web-based survey with 120 items that was sent out to all staff, including PhD students (N = 8,238) and students (N = 30,244) in November 2019. The response rate was 33% for staff and 32% for students. Exposure to SH was defined as having experienced at least one of ten defined SH behaviors during their work or studies.

RESULTS

Among women, 24.5% of staff and 26.8% of students reported having been exposed to SH. The corresponding figures were 7.0% and 11.3% for male staff and students and 33.3% and 29.4% for non-binary individuals among staff and students. Unwelcome comments, suggestive looks or gestures, and 'inadvertent' brushing or touching were the three most common forms of reported harassment, both among staff and students. Attempted or completed rape had been experienced by 2.1% of female and 0.6% of male students. Male and female perpetrators were reported by about 80% and 15%, respectively, of exposed participants. Among staff most reported events occurred during the everyday operation of the university, while among students the majority of the events took place during social events linked to student life. When exposed to a perpetrator from the same group (staff or students), women reported more often being in a subordinate power position in relation to the perpetrator.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate that sexual harassment is common in the university context, and interventions and case management routines of events should consider power relations between victim and perpetrator, as well as the various contexts within which sexual harassment takes place.

Suicide attempts among students of higher education, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, South Africa

BACKGROUND

Worldwide, death by suicide is a leading cause of death among young people, and students of higher educational institutions constitute a vulnerable group. This study aimed to determine the lifetime prevalence and associated factors of suicide attempt among students of a higher education institution in Nelson Mandela Municipality.

METHODS

A cross sectional study was conducted among students of East Cape Midland College in Nelson Mandela Municipality. The participants were selected by stratified random sampling and a standardised self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data.

RESULTS

The prevalence of lifetime suicide attempts was 16.0% among the participants. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed higher odds of suicide attempts among participants who: experienced bullying (OR: 1.66, CI: 1.05-2.61; p  0.001), had underlying medical conditions (OR: 3.27, CI: 2.08-5.14; p  0.001), had abnormal body weight perceptions (OR: 1.64, CI: 1.03-2.62; p  0.05), had experienced sexual abuse (OR: 5.72, CI: 2.86-11.45; p  0.001), or had someone very close who had experienced sexual abuse (OR: 1.77, CI: 1.02-3.05; p  0.05).

CONCLUSION

This study identified history of sexual abuse, bullying, perceptions of abnormal body weight and underlying medical conditions as associated risk factors of suicide attempts among the participants. The high prevalence of suicide attempts among the participants (16%) demonstrates the urgent need for campus-based interventions and prevention strategies aimed at addressing the identified associated factors.

Male and Female Conceptualizations of Sexual Harassment in Tanzania: The Role of Consent, Male Power, and Social Norms

Sexual harassment is pervasive worldwide, yet there is a lack of clarity on its conceptualization in many settings, especially in low-income countries. Context-specific conceptualization of sexual harassment is vital to develop effective measurement tools, estimate its magnitude, and the design of interventions to address it. We explored how different population groups in Mwanza, Tanzania, understood, conceptualized, and experienced sexual harassment. This study employed a qualitative research design involving 74 in-depth interviews and 13 focus group discussions with participants from educational, workplace, and public settings in Mwanza, Tanzania. Participants were adolescent girls and boys, adult women and men. We explored individual-level perceptions and experiences of sexual harassment, and community norms and expectations around sexual harassment. We analyzed the data using a thematic approach. Participants' perceptions of sexual harassment emphasized the critical role of consent, the expression of male power, and social norms with regard to sexual harassment. Sexual harassment was understood to be a result of men being in positions of power and in charge of material resources, school grades, or employment opportunities. These in turn enabled them to take advantage of girls and women. Social norms around male and female interactions, courtship and seduction, expressions of sexual interest were crucial in delineating what was and what was not considered sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is a fluid concept, and its definition is highly dependent on contextual factors. Consent underpins the conceptualization of sexual harassment and is a fundamental feature in the definition and measurement of sexual harassment in Tanzania. Consent is largely determined by sexual norms around male and female interactions and gendered power. There is a need for consensus in schools, workplaces, and communities about what constitutes sexual harassment in order to measure and address it appropriately.

Identifying Correlates of Peer and Faculty/Staff Sexual Harassment in US Students

Sexual harassment and its negative consequences continue to affect a large percentage of higher education students in the US. Previous research has identified a limited number of harassment risk factors, and has generally not examined them in combination. In this study, an expanded set of individual, relationship, and community-level risk factors were examined using hurdle models and classification and regression tree (CART) analyses to identify key risk factors for peer and faculty/staff sexual harassment. Secondary data analysis was conducted using data from a sample of 9,285 students from 18 two-year and four-year schools in Minnesota. CART analyses indicated that, for peer sexual harassment, being younger; consuming alcohol more than once a month; attending a four-year school; being transgender, genderqueer, self-identified, or a cisgender woman; and having experienced bullying were the most important risk factors for peer harassment on campus. For faculty/staff harassment, being gay, lesbian, bisexual, questioning, or having a self-identified sexual orientation was the most important risk factor. These and other risk factors were significant in the hurdle models. More research is needed to understand why these factors are associated with harassment. Limitations and implications for prevention programming at higher education institutions are discussed.

Breaking the silence around academic harassment

It is time to hold every member of the scientific community responsible and 'response able' in addressing/reporting academic harassment. Stop applauding academic stars on the podium prior to checking what is happening underneath!

The Association Between Sexual Harassment and Mental Health Among Chinese College Students: Do Gender and Social Support Matter?

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.

Strategies to prevent workplace sexual harassment among Iranian nurses: A qualitative study

Background

Sexual harassment in the workplace has many negative consequences for nurses and the delivery of patient care. Appropriate policies and strategies can help to create a safe work environment for nurses. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate Iranian nurses’ strategies for preventing sexual harassment in the workplace.

Materials and methods

This qualitative descriptive-explorative study used conventional content analysis to investigate how Iranian nurses cope with sexual harassment (n = 22). Participants were selected using a purposeful sampling method. Data was collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews from September 2020 to April 2021. In order to obtain rich information, maximum variation was considered (age, sex, work experience, level of education, marital status, and type of hospital and ward). The Guba and Lincoln criteria were used to increase the study’s trustworthiness, while the Graneheim and Lundman approach was used to analyze the content.

Results

One hundred and twelve codes, one main category, four categories, and 12 subcategories were extracted. The main category, strategies to prevent sexual harassment among nurses in the workplace, includes four categories: behavioral response, working conditions adjustment, informing, and performance of hospital security guards. The most common strategy used by nurses was behavioral response.

Conclusion

Basic measures are required to prevent sexual misconduct against nurses, which is an obvious part of the professional organizational culture. Managers and policymakers should develop workplace ethics, legal accountability, and safety. They should also develop training programs and prevention strategies to help nurses improve their coping skills. Further quantitative and qualitative research in other healthcare groups is required to confirm the findings of this study.

Utilizing library repository for sexual harassment study in Indonesia: A systematic literature review

Sexual harassment is a social problem that needs urgent attention to reduce its frequent occurrence. This paper is a systematic literature review (SLR) that summarizes the previous studies of sexual harassment from Islamic state universities (UIN) in Indonesia. Data were collected from the final year bachelor's theses available in the online library repository of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, UIN Walisongo Semarang, UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya, UIN Ar-Raniry Aceh, UIN Alauddin Makassar and UIN Raden Fatah Palembang with open-access facilities. The SLR and Meta-analysis were used to investigate the background, perpetrator-victim involvement, and resolution of sexual harassment. This research used 20 eligible and relevant theses for the study of sexual harassment have been published from 2007 to 2022. The result showed that most cases occurred in urban areas, where the perpetrators are people known to the victim, such as family members, colleagues at work, neighbors, and playmates. Therefore, the role of non-governmental organizations and local governments is very helpful for victims to form coping strategies and report criminal cases. Sexual harassment needs to get more public attention by strengthening litigation and non-litigation needs, accompanied by the provision of sexuality education for parents, children, and the community.

The need for the development of discipline-specific approaches to address academic bullying

BACKGROUND

It is now well-documented that academic bullying, mainly driven by power differences, affects all disciplines and academic people with various positions (from students to senior faculty) of all levels of experience. Our aim is to probe whether academic bullying, in its specific forms, manifests differently across disciplines.

METHODS

We analyzed discipline-specific data from our global survey on academic bullying, which was collected since November 2019. The survey was a cross-sectional global study that was administered via Qualtrics. It reflects responses from 2122 individuals whose participation was solicited through various means including advertisements in Science and Nature magazines and the American Chemical Society.

FINDINGS

The main finding is that academic bullying does not affect all scientific fields equally. Our cross-sectional global survey of targets of academic bullying indicates that bullying behavior depended strongly on the scientific discipline. Specifically, our comparison of the three major scientific categories, including Applied Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences revealed significant differences (p < 0.05) in four (out of ten) of the contextual behaviors. Further comparison of the bullying behavior among specific disciplines (e.g., Chemistry, Engineering, Life Sciences, Neuroscience, and Social Sciences) revealed significant differences (p < 0.05) in five of the contextual behaviors. We also noticed that, among the top five disciplines analyzed, respondents in Engineering experienced the highest rate of bullying behaviors.

INTERPRETATION

The variation in contextual bullying behavior across disciplines suggests the need for specific and nuanced training, monitoring, and actions by stakeholders in addressing academic bullying in a context-specific manner.

FUNDING

None.

Harassment as a consequence and cause of inequality in academia: A narrative review

A growing body of literature suggests that over the past 30 years, policies aimed at tackling harassment in academia have had little discernable effect. How can this impasse be overcome to make the higher education sector a safe space for everyone? We combine the areas of harassment and inequality, intersectionality, policy-practice gaps, gender sensitive medicine, as well as corruption and whistleblower processes to identify lacunae and offer recommendations for how to apply our recommendations in practice. We have been searching the most influential, relevant, and recent literature on harassment and inequality in our respective fields of expertise. By studying conceptual overlaps between the different fields, we were able to create insights that go beyond the insights of the most recent reviews. Our synthesis results in three concrete recommendations. First, harassment and inequality are mutually reinforcing. Failure to adequately tackle harassment contributes to perpetuating and reproducing inequality. Further, the intersectional nature of inequality has to be acknowledged and acted upon. Second, enforcing anti-harassment policies should be a top priority for universities, funders, and policymakers. Third, sexual harassment should be treated as institutional-level integrity failure. The higher education sector should now focus on enforcing existing anti-harassment policies by holding universities accountable for their effective implementation - or risk being complicit in maintaining and reproducing inequality.

FUNDING

We have received no funding for this research.

Frequency, Types, and Manifestations of Partner Sexual Violence, Non-Partner Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment: A Population Study in Spain

Background: This study analyzes the frequency and sociodemographic characteristics associated with sexual violence by a partner/ex-partner (PSV), someone other than a partner or ex-partner (NPSV), or sexual harassment (SH). Methods: The study is based on the 2019 Macro-survey of Violence against Women conducted by the Spanish Ministry of Equality among a sample of 9568 women age 16 or more years. Odds Ratios were calculated and multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: Forty-four women had suffered some kind of sexual violence over their lifetime, 9.2% had experienced PSV, 6.5% NPSV and 40.4% SH. More than 7% of women had been raped by a partner and 2.2% by another man. In the three groups, violence was associated with lower age and having a certified disability. NPSV and SH were significantly associated with a higher education and internet use. In NPSV, 9.2% of cases were reported to the police and 3.9% were reported to the courts. In SH, 91.7% of women told a family member or a close friend and 4.2% reported it to the police or the courts. Conclusions: A greater emphasis needs to be placed on reporting sexual violence in its various forms. Rape within intimate partnerships ought to be investigated and studied in greater depth.

Exploring the relevance of intersectionality in Australian dietetics: Issues of diversity and representation

Through an exploration of the origins of dietetics in the West, and specifically in Australia, we problematise the lack of diversity within the profession through the lens of intersectionality. Dietetics in Australia continues to be dominated by Australian-born women, and ideologies about dietitians perpetuate narratives of white, young, slim, women. Intersectional approaches to critiquing diversity in dietetics provides a useful framework to extend critical studies of health disparities into disparities in the dietetics professional workforce, which is advanced through structural, political and representational intersectionality guided critique. Through the analysis, a dialog is prompted in order to chart paths forward to find 'how differences will find expression' within the professional group. To do this, dietetics as a profession must reckon with its historical roots and step forward, out of a perceived position of objective neutrality regarding people and diversity, and into a position that can recognise that professional institutions have the power to exclude and marginalise, along with the power to include and transform.

Women Academics’ Intersectional Experiences of Policy Ineffectiveness in the European Context

Despite policy efforts targeted at making universities more inclusive and equitable, academia is still rife with harassment and bullying, and opportunities are far from equal for everyone. The present preregistered survey research (N = 91) aimed to explore whether an intersectional approach can be useful to examine the tangible effects of policy ineffectiveness, even when legislative and ideologic constraints limit the possibility to conduct a full-fledged intersectional analysis. Policy ineffectiveness was operationalized as experiences of harassment, discrimination, institutional resistance to gender equality, and retaliation against reporters of misconduct in universities. Policy ineffectiveness was negatively related to women academics’ inclination to pursue an academic career. This relationship was mediated by lower levels of psychological safety associated with policy ineffectiveness. Importantly, women academics who differ from the majority on multiple dimensions show a stronger and more negative relationship between policy ineffectiveness and psychological safety. The study further shows that self-report measures are useful to uncover intersectional privilege afforded to overrepresented groups in academia. The study discusses the benefits of intersectional approaches for designing and implementing effective policies to tackle harassment and inequality in academia, even when the available methodologies are constrained by legislation and ideology. Overall, self-report measurement can have an important function for signalling areas that warrant further intersectional inquiry to ensure that policies serve everyone.

Freedom from discrimination or freedom to discriminate? Discursive tensions within discrimination policies in medical education

The importance of advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion for all members of the academic medical community has gained recent attention. Academic medical organizations have attempted to increase broader representation while seeking structural reforms consistent with the goal of enhancing equity and reducing disproportionality. However, efforts remain constrained while minority groups continue to experience discrimination. In this study, the authors sought to identify and understand the discursive effects of discrimination policies within medical education. The authors assembled an archive of 22 texts consisting of publicly available discrimination and harassment policy documents in 13 Canadian medical schools that were active as of November 2019. Each text was analysed to identify themes, rhetorical strategies, problematization, and power relations. Policies described truth statements that appear to idealize equity, yet there were discourses related to professionalism and neutrality that were in tension with these ideals. There was also tension between organizations' framing of a shared responsibility for addressing discrimination and individual responsibility on complainants. Lastly, there were also competing discourses on promoting freedom from discrimination and the concept of academic freedom. Overall, findings reveal several areas of tension that shape how discrimination is addressed in policy versus practice. Existing discourses regarding self-protection and academic freedom suggest equity cannot be advanced through policy discourse alone and more substantive structural transformation may be necessary. Existing approaches may be inadequate to address discrimination unless academic medical organizations interrogate the source of these discursive tensions and consider asymmetries of power.

One-year incidence of sexual harassment and the contribution to poor mental health in the adult general population

Background

Sexual harassment (SH) has been highlighted as an important determinant for mental health. The aims of this study were to describe SH in terms of cumulative 1-year incidence, exposed groups, types of perpetrators and settings, and to measure the association between SH and poor mental well-being.

Methods

Data from two waves of the Scania Public Health Cohort Study, comprising 7759 randomly recruited individuals above 18 years. Exposure to SH was measured by an instrument that also recorded place of exposure and type of perpetrator. Poor mental well-being was assessed by General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)-12, 36-Item Short Form Health Survey questionnaire (SF-36) (mental health module) and self-reported use of prescribed psychotropic medication. Logistic regression was used for multivariate analyses.

Results

The cumulative 1-year incidence of SH was six times greater among women, the highest figure (17.5%) was noted for women 18–34 years of age. No difference was noted regarding educational level or country of origin. Public places, including public transportation, and unknown offenders were the most frequently reported setting of SH for both genders. Exposure to SH was associated with a doubled risk for low mental well-being, according to all three outcome definitions, and after adjustment for mental health 6 years earlier. Female gender was related to greater vulnerability to SH exposure concerning GHQ-12 and SF-36. The Population Attributable Fraction for poor mental health was calculated to 13% for women 34 years and younger.

Conclusion

The results of this study make SH an important issue for gender policy as well as for public health policy and intervention.

Organisational Characteristics That Facilitate Gender-Based Violence and Harassment in Higher Education?

Gender-based violence and sexual harassment (GBVH) by and towards academics and students has been under-theorised at an organisational level in higher education institutions (HEIs). The methodology involves a critical review of the literature on GBVH and organizational responses to it, locating it in the context of an analysis of organizational power. The theoretical perspective involves a focus on power and workplace bullying. It identifies three power-related characteristics of academic environments which it is suggested facilitate GBVH: their male-dominant hierarchical character; their neoliberal managerialist ethos and gender/intersectional incompetent leadership which perpetuates male entitlement and toxic masculinities. These characteristics also inhibit tackling GBVH by depicting it as an individual problem, encouraging informal coping and militating against the prosecution of perpetrators. Initiating a discussion and action at organizational and state levels about GBVH as a power-related phenomenon, challenging the dominant neo-liberal ethos and the hierarchical character of HEIs, as well as reducing their male dominance and increasing the gender competence of those in positions of power are seen as initial steps in tackling the problem.