Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Consequences and Perceived Self-Efficacy in Women and Men Witnesses and Non-Witnesses
- PMID: 36135130
- PMCID: PMC9495880
- DOI: 10.3390/bs12090326
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Consequences and Perceived Self-Efficacy in Women and Men Witnesses and Non-Witnesses
Abstract
Despite the numerous advances made in Italy over the years in the study of sexual harassment in the workplace (SHW), research has focused exclusively on victims, perpetrators, and their relationships, and not on the consequences that the experience of sexual harassment can produce in witnesses. The present study aims to address this gap by examining how the indirect experience of SHW, in conjunction with variables such as gender, age, self-efficacy, and coping strategies, affects the mental health status of witnesses of SHW. A sample of 724 employees completed a questionnaire that included a modified version of the Sexual Experience Questionnaire (SEQ), the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI), the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), and the Emotional Self-Efficacy Scale (RESE). Of the group, 321 participants reported witnessing sexual harassment in the workplace (28.2% of women and 16.2% of men). Results show that witnesses were younger than participants who described themselves as non-witnesses. Results also show that women and men who were witnesses were more likely to suffer the emotional and psychological consequences of the experience than non-witnesses. In addition, female witnesses expressed more positive emotions than men, which enabled them to manage their anxiety and emotional states when triggered in response to sexual harassment in the workplace. Finally, a significant association was found between perceptions of mental health and age, gender, experience with SHW, and self-efficacy strategies. The findings underscore the importance of sexual harassment intervention in the workplace, women and men who witness sexual harassment suffer vicarious experiences, psychological impact, exhaustion, disengagement, and negative feelings.
Keywords: consequences; self-efficacy; sexual harassment; workplace.
Conflict of interest statement
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Similar articles
-
The importance of organizational climate for psychosocial safety in the prevention of sexual harassment at work.J Occup Health. 2020 Jan;62(1):e12192. doi: 10.1002/1348-9585.12192. J Occup Health. 2020. PMID: 33368878 Free PMC article.
-
Perception and experiences of sexual harassment among women working in hospitality workplaces of Bahir Dar city, Northwest Ethiopia: a qualitative study.BMC Public Health. 2021 Jun 11;21(1):1119. doi: 10.1186/s12889-021-11173-1. BMC Public Health. 2021. PMID: 34116672 Free PMC article.
-
The Prevalence of Sexual Harassment and Bullying Among Norwegian Afghanistan Veterans: Does Workplace Harassment Disproportionately Impact the Mental Health and Life Satisfaction of Female Soldiers?J Interpers Violence. 2024 Apr 30:8862605241248432. doi: 10.1177/08862605241248432. Online ahead of print. J Interpers Violence. 2024. PMID: 38686604
-
Association of burnout and harassment among cardiology trainees: Pakistan's perspective.Curr Probl Cardiol. 2024 Feb;49(2):102201. doi: 10.1016/j.cpcardiol.2023.102201. Epub 2023 Nov 13. Curr Probl Cardiol. 2024. PMID: 37967799 Review.
-
Sexual harassment in the workplace: it is your problem.J Nurs Manag. 2007 Sep;15(6):608-13. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2834.2007.00725.x. J Nurs Manag. 2007. PMID: 17688566 Review.
Cited by
-
Direct and indirect effects of workplace sexual harassment on the productivity of victims and witnesses: The preventive role of equitable management.Heliyon. 2023 Oct 20;9(11):e21096. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21096. eCollection 2023 Nov. Heliyon. 2023. PMID: 37920480 Free PMC article.
References
-
- McDonald P. Workplace Sexual Harassment 30 Years on: A Review of the Literature. Int. J. Manag. Rev. 2011;14:1–17. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2370.2011.00300.x. - DOI
-
- Fitzgerald L.F., Cortina L.M. Sexual harassment in work organizations: A view from the 21st century. In: Travis C.B., White J.W., Rutherford A., Williams W.S., Cook S.L., Wyche K.F., editors. APA Handbook of the Psychology of Women: Perspectives on Women’s Private and Public Lives. APA; Washington, DC, USA: 2018. pp. 215–234.
-
- Fitzgerald L.F., Gelfand M.J., Drasgow F. Measuring Sexual Harassment: Theoretical and Psychometric Advances. Basic Appl. Soc. Psychol. 1995;17:425–445. doi: 10.1207/s15324834basp1704_2. - DOI
-
- Cockburn W., Milczarek M., Irastorza X., Rial González E. The Management of psychosocial risks across the European Union: Findings from ESENER. Contemp. Occup. Health Psychol. Glob. Perspect. Res. Pract. 2012;2:162–183.
-
- Chappell D., Di Martino V. Violence at Work. 3rd ed. International Labour Organization; Geneva, Switzerland: 2006.
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Miscellaneous