#HIGHEREDTOO - ICHW’s Research to inform prevention of sexual harassment in academia
by Carolyn Winslow, PhD*
Sexual harassment continues to be a pervasive problem in organizations and has deleterious consequences for both individuals and the organizations of which they are a part (Chan, Chow, Lam, & Cheung 2008; Willness, Steel, & Lee, 2007). Colleges and universities are by no means immune from such incidents, and although well-intentioned, the effectiveness of traditional preventative efforts such as sexual harassment training has been questioned (Feldblum & Lipnic, 2016). The prevailing conclusion from existing research is that more empirical evidence is needed to help inform how organizations can implement prevention approaches that create lasting behavioral and attitudinal changes.
To address this gap, ICHW researchers conducted a study to uncover contextual factors associated with the occurrence of sexual harassment in higher education, specifically. Our method involved collecting detailed, narrative descriptions of sexual harassment directly experienced or witnessed by UC Berkeley faculty, staff, and students. Our hope was that these circumstantial accounts could be used to identify situational risk-factors, and in turn, inform collective, systemic approaches to preventing harassment.
A qualitative analysis of the data we collected revealed several themes speaking to how and why harassment occurs on campus. Among these themes, we found it notable that: 1) Bystanders were often present while harassment occurred, but did not intervene and 2) Formal reports of sexual harassment often are inappropriately addressed, which in turn leaves targets of sexual harassment reluctant to report future incidents and at risk for continued harassment.
These and other key findings were used to inform the creation of a toolkit that was produced by our campus partner and project funder, the PATH (Prevention, Advocacy, Training, Healing) to Care Center. This toolkit will help decision-makers in academic units create a plan for preventing sexual harassment within their communities by outlining the steps individuals and organizations can take to prevent sexual harassment from occurring in the first place. We at ICHW are proud that our research could help contribute to this important, applied initiative to make academic communities safer and more inclusive places to work and study!
*This article is a edited version of the original, which was written by Carolyn Winslow during her tenure at ICHW in October 2019.
References
Bingham, S. G., & Scherer, L. L. (2001). The unexpected effects of a sexual harassment educational program. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 37(2), 125-153.
Chan, D. K., Chow, S. Y., Lam, C. B., & Cheung, S. F. (2008). Examining the job-related, psychological, and physical outcomes of workplace sexual harassment: A meta-analytic review. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 32(4), 362-376.
Feldblum, C. R., & Lipnic, V. A. (2016). Select task force on the study of harassment in the workplace. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/task_force/harassment/report.cfm#_Toc453686298
Tinkler, J. E. (2012). Resisting the enforcement of sexual harassment law. Law & Social Inquiry, 37(1), 1-24.
Willness, C. R., Steel, P., & Lee, K. (2007). A meta‐analysis of the antecedents and consequences of workplace sexual harassment. Personnel Psychology, 60(1), 127-162.
