Incidence and Severity of Sexual Harassment, and its Impact on Mental Health in a Cohort of International Humanitarian Field-Workers

Abstract

To date, there have been no cohort studies of sexual harassment incidence and its relation to mental health within humanitarian field-workers. Research among numerous occupations suggests an association between workplace sexual harassment and several health complaints. This study examined the incidence and severity of sexual harassment and its association with changes in mental health in a cohort of international humanitarian aid field-workers (iHAWs). Four hundred and seventy-eight iHAWs filled in questionnaires about sexual harassment, depression, anxiety, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as part of a larger study on health and well-being. Six percent of male and 18% of female iHAWs reported experiencing sexual harassment during their latest field assignment, with most reporting low levels of nonphysical forms of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment was predictive of negative changes in both depression and anxiety symptom severity between before and after an assignment for females; for males, it predicted negative changes in PTSD symptom severity. Sexual harassment did not predict utilization of mental healthcare services within 2 months after the end of assignment. The current findings are the first figures derived from a representative sample of iHAWs on the incidence of sexual harassment during a field assignment and show sexual harassment to be a relatively common and present issue. The findings are mostly in line with the extant literature and underscore the importance of attending to the issue of sexual harassment in the humanitarian sector.

Workplace Sexual Harassment and Withdrawal Behaviors Among Female Workers in Jordanian Hotels, the Mediating Role of Emotional Exhaustion

“…Zhu et al (2019), however, have stressed that sexual harassment is an unwanted sexual action directed against another person, and hence it may occur in both men and women. According to Cho (2002) and Martinmaki et al (2023), sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual activity, whether physical, verbal, or with particular signals, that has a detrimental influence on workers' performance at work. Welsh (1999), he indicated that sexual harassment falls into two categories: hostile environment harassment and quid pro quo.…”

“…Sexual harassment is a pervasive issue that affects workplaces worldwide (Cho, 2002). Following the #MeToo movement, the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace has received increased attention (Martinmaki et al, 2023), and the International Labor Organization has recognized it as a global phenomenon (Beghini, 2021). Notably, the Middle East and North Africa region has been identified as the least advanced in terms of legislation addressing sexual harassment in the workplace (Alquisi and Sryreh, 2015).…”

Effects of chronic workplace harassment on mental health and alcohol misuse: a long-term follow-up

“…This substantial body of research shows that both SH and GH are associated with decrements to mental health including increased depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation [ 8 , 13 , 14 ]. Recent cross-sectional research continues to show associations between SH and greater symptoms of depression, anxiety, suicidality, or poor mental well-being in samples as varied as women soldiers in Belgium [ 15 ], men and women medical school faculty in the Midwestern US [ 16 ], men and women medical students in France [ 17 ] and Switzerland [ 18 ], and international humanitarian field workers [ 19 ]. Research on GH, or closely related constructs such as workplace bullying, is not as common as SH research.…”