Sexual harassment and organisational silencing in nursing: a cross-sectional study in Greece

ObjectiveThis study investigates the frequency of sexual harassment among female nurses in the Greek health system and the nurses’ reluctance to report their experiences.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingGreece.Participants1264 female nurses of working age across different settings responded to the Sexual Experiences Questionnaire (SEQ) web-based format between October 2020 and February 2021. The period investigated by the SEQ was the participant’s entire professional life. The final sample consisted of 1217 nurses with valid data on the frequency of sexually harassing behaviours (gender harassment, unwanted sexual attention, sexual coercion) and the reasons for not reporting sexual harassment.Main outcome measuresThe frequency of sexual harassment was measured in a 5-point Likert Scale (1: very often, 2: often, 3: occasionally, 4: rarely, 5: never), the decision to report/not report sexual harassment was measured in a yes/no format and the impact of sexual harassment on the physical, mental and job-related performance was measured in a 5-point Likert Scale (1: very positively, 2: positively, 3: moderately, 4: negatively, 5: very negatively).Results70% of the nurses have experienced sexual harassment at least once in their working lives, while the most frequent type is gender harassment. Male doctors are the most common perpetrators. T-tests and analysis of variance showed that private and younger nurses were more likely to experience sexual harassment while divorced nurses with 1–5 years of experience dealt with sexually coercive behaviours more frequently. 30% did not report sexual harassment because of the fear of negative consequences and beliefs that no action will be taken against the perpetrator. Multiple regression analyses showed that unwanted sexual attention and sexual coercion explain the victim’s physical and job-related adverse outcomes. Cronbach’s α was 0.939.ConclusionsThe results show that sexual harassment rates are high in the Greek health system, while many victims do not report their experiences to the authorities. This emphasises the need to implement drastic measures on behalf of the National Health Service (NHS) policy makers towards helping victims speak up without the fear of negative consequences. Nurse managers are called to implement effective policies against sexual harassment.

Are male nurses sexually harassed? A cross-sectional study in the Greek Health System

Background The #MeToo and #Times Up movements have put a global spotlight on the phenomenon of sexual harassment in healthcare. Yet, most studies have explored sexual harassment among female professionals. This study departs from current research practices and investigates the frequency of sexual harassment in male nurses working in the Greek NHS and the reasons for not reporting their experiences. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted using the Sexual Experiences Questionnaire (SEQ) to collect data from 507 male nurses working in Greece's various settings during October and February 2021. The electronic survey was sent to male nurses (n=3,091 registered with the Hellenic Association of Nurses. Survey items were consent form, demographics, three-dimensions of sexual harassment, silencing and negative consequences. Questions were measured using five-point Likert scales, binary scale and multiple-choice questions. ANOVA and T-tests were used to investigate whether specific groups more frequently dealt with sexual harassment. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to investigate the association between independent variables (sexually harassing behaviours) and the dependent variable (participants' negative physical, mental, and job-related outcomes). Results 40% of male nurses have experienced sexual harassment at least once in their working lives, and the most common form of sexual harassment faced was gender harassment, followed by unwanted sexual attention. Male doctors and male nurses were the most common perpetrators. Private and younger male nurses with up to 5 years of experience experienced more frequent sexual harassment. 30% did not report sexual harassment due to the fear that no one would believe them, and because of beliefs, no action would be taken against the wrongdoer. Multiple regression analyses showed that unwanted sexual attention and sexual coercion were associated with physical and job-related outcomes. Cronbach Alpha was 0.91. Conclusion A high proportion of male nurses have experienced sexual harassment during their careers. Being younger with limited working experience and working in the private sector were positively associated with sexual harassment. Policymakers and health managers should focus on sexual harassment prevention strategies and report-enabling policies.

Young Women’s Experiences With Technology-Facilitated Sexual Violence From Male Strangers

Stranger-perpetrated harassment was identified decades ago to describe the pervasive, unwanted sexual attention women experience in public spaces. This form of harassment, which has evolved in the modern era, targets women as they navigate online spaces, social media, texting, and online gaming. The present research explored university-aged women’s experiences (n = 381) with online male-perpetrated sexual harassment, including the nature and frequency of the harassment, how women responded to the harassment, and how men reportedly reacted to women’s strategies. Trends in harassment experiences are explored descriptively and with thematic analysis. Most women reported receiving sexually inappropriate messages (84%, n = 318), sexist remarks or comments (74%, n = 281), seductive behavior or come-ons (70%, n = 265), or unwanted sexual attention (64%, n = 245) in an online platform, social media account, email, or text message. This sexual attention from unknown males often began at a very young age (12-14 years). The harassment took many forms, including inappropriate sexual comments on social media posts, explicit photos of male genitalia, and solicitations for sex. Although most women reported strong negative emotional reactions to the harassment (disgust, fear, anger), they generally adopted non-confrontational strategies to deal with the harassment, electing to ignore/delete the content or blocking the offender. Women reported that some men nevertheless persisted with the harassment, following them across multiple sites online, escalating in intensity and severity, and leading some women to delete their own social media accounts. These results suggest the need for early intervention and education programs and industry response.

Smashing Backdoors in and the Wandering Eye: An Introduction to Bartenders’ Experiences with Unwanted Sexual Attention while Working in the UK

Literature on unwanted sexual attention in the night-time economy has focused predominantly on patrons and ignores those who are employed in it. This paper draws on participant observations of, and interviews with, 10 current, and 5 former, bartenders’ engagement with unwanted behaviors at a public house. Data gathered will outline the common and infrequent forms of unwanted sexual attention and who the perpetrators are. I also remold the concept of ‘feisty femininity’ to reflect female bartenders’ combative strategies against male customers. I end with a suggestion for the implementation of specific training strategies for all employed in licensed venues.

Pledged into Harm: Sorority and Fraternity Members Face Increased Risk of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment

The purpose of this manuscript is to examine the risk of sexual exploitation (both assault and harassment) associated with sorority and fraternity membership on U.S. college campuses. The results from this study come from data collected through an online survey. Participants (N=883) at a large Pacific Northwestern university provided information related to their sorority or fraternity membership, experiences of sexual violence (i.e., assault and harassment), and alcohol use. We both replicated and extended past research. Corroborating prior research, Greek-affiliated students experienced higher rates of sexual assault than non-affiliated students. We extended past research by focusing on sexual harassment experiences within the Greek life culture. Both male and female Greek-affiliated students reported higher rates of sexual harassment particularly unwanted sexual attention, compared to their non-Greek-affiliated peers. We also found that both sorority membership and alcohol-related problems predicted unique variance in women’s exposure to nonconsensual sexual contact, attempted/completed rape, and unwanted sexual attention. Fraternity membership but not alcohol-related problems predicted unique variance in men’s exposure to nonconsensual sexual contact and unwanted sexual attention. Implications discussed include the short- and long-term consequences of Greek-affiliation, institutional betrayal, and addressing sexual exploitation within this culture. Also identified are limitations of the current study and future directions for research on sexual exploitation within Greek life.

Seksuell trakassering – ikke et isolert problem

Sexual Harassment – not an Isolated Problem Is sexual harassment in academia an isolated problem, or is it linked to the academic work environment and culture? Research at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at University of Oslo supports the latter view. The results show how sexual harassment are associated with problem features of the workplace organization, environment and culture. This is especially clear in the case of unwanted sexual attention, which is closely linked to professional devaluation and other problems. Other more serious forms (unwanted physical contact, coercion, stalking, assault) are less frequent, yet clearly associated with unwanted sexual attention. The chapter presents and analyzes the sexual harassment data in view of other recent research, and discusses why this topic is important, and how research can be improved.

Erfaringer i akademia – en ny kartlegging

Experiences in Academia – a New Survey The chapter provides a summarizing review of the main findings of the FRONT project with respect to gender and gender equality at different career levels. The review is based on quantitative surveys together covering 269 variables and 1,056 respondents. Among students, negative experiences are significantly more common for women than men, particularly when it comes to social treatment. Among employees, women experience markedly more challenges involving factors such as negative scrutiny, unwanted sexual attention or partners whose careers were given priority. The data reveal differences also in several other factors, but these were often moderate. Thus, it is typically a complex process with many components that results in an “accumulated disadvantage” for women. The differences were found at all career levels, but with a clear tendency towards more challenges for women at higher career levels. The observations from FRONT are discussed in light of other studies, a main conclusion being that the situation is surprisingly similar in different countries.

Sexual harassment and organizational behaviors: the moderating effect of power distance

PurposeBased on the cognitive appraisal theory, the current research extended the content domain of sexual harassment research by examining the moderating effect of power distance orientation, a cultural value on the relationship between sexual harassment and organizational behavior.Design/methodology/approachFor this, this study used a survey method and multiple regression analyses with 285 Korean employees.FindingsAs a result, first, the more unwanted sexual attention employees perceived from their leaders, the less likely they were to be affectively committed to their organization. Second, the more sexual coercion employees perceived from their leaders, the more likely they were to have turnover intention. Third, the negative relationship between unwanted sexual attention and affective commitment is stronger for the employees who are low rather than high in power distance orientation. Finally, the positive relationship between sexual coercion and turnover intention is stronger for the employees who are low rather than high in power distance orientation.Originality/valueThe study expanded the content area of sexual harassment research by showing the control effect of the power distance direction.