Sexual Harassment: The Nexus Between Gender and Workplace Authority: Evidence from the Australian Public Service

Abstract

Sexual harassment in the workplace is commonly portrayed as the male supervisor harassing female subordinates. Within this popular characterization, the unequal distribution of formal, organizational power is believed to be a necessary precondition for sexual harassment. The traditional cultural image of harassers and targets has however not kept pace with changing workplace realities. Research has indeed found that female supervisors may in fact be more likely to be subjects of sexual harassment. This article uses survey data from the Australian Public Service to explore this kind of contrapower harassment. Results indicate that a strong link between gender, workplace authority, and sexual harassment exists, but also that this relationship is strongly influenced by age.

Workplace Violence in Human Service Organizations: A Qualitative Inquiry of Team-Level Dynamics

“…For example, a cross-sectional study by Jones, Finkelstein, & Koehoorn (2018) shows how harassment rates are higher for public service workers in Canada who live with a disability, and that this group is 2.8 times more likely to experience harassment in the workplace. As well, gender-based studies show how females are especially at-risk (Khubchandani & Price, 2015;Rospenda et al, 2009), particularly if they are in positions of authority in public social service organizations (Wynen, 2016). This commonly leads to significant deficits in professional and psychological wellbeing (Leskinen, Cortina, & Kabat, 2011).…”

How could central government better respond to sexual harm in the public service?

“…Women occupying supervisory positions can lay claim to some organisational power, but do not necessarily embody the informal power required to prevent sexual harassment. Wynen recommends that victims of contrapower harassment be enabled, through policy and culture, to come forward without undermining their own authority (Ford, 2018;Wynen, 2016).…”

“…Many people may wish to avoid the actual and perceived diminished career prospects, and loss of status and power, which can occur when labelled with the terms 'victim' and 'survivor' . Victims, particularly of contrapower harassment, should be enabled, through good culture and policy, to come forward without undermining their own authority (Wynen, 2016).…”

Untitled

“…According to (Fitzgerald, Drasgow, Hulin, and Magley, 1997) sexual harassment include: gender harassment, seductive behaviour, sexual bribery, sexual assault, unwanted touching, sexual comments about the person's look, sexual coercion, fondling, rape, attempted rape and continued expressions of sexual interests after being informed that the interest is unwelcome. Prior studies such as (Yassour-Borochowitz's 2020; Lynch, 2019;Ram, 2018;Jennings, 2017;Harte, 2017;Wynen, 2016;Waudby, 2012;Mkono, 2010;and Poultson, 2008) have found that hospitality industry has the highest level of sexual harassment reported cases. For instance, (Mkono 2010) study in Zimbabwe found that 80 % hospitality interns in the hospitality industry had been victims of sexual harassment.…”