The Impact of Male Work Environments and Organizational Policies on Women's Experiences of Sexual Harassment

Abstract

Women's experiences with sexual harassment were analyzed with three types of variables: occupational and workplace sex ratios, organizational policies and procedures for dealing with sexual harassment problems, and women's cultural status (age and marital status). Regression analyses revealed that extent of contact with men was a key predictor of incidence of harassment, number of different types of harrassment, sexual comments, sexual categorical remarks, and sexual materials. Gender predominance was a significant predictor of physical threats and sexual materials. Informational methods were less successful than proactive methods in reducing incidents of sexual harassment. The analyses support two generalizations. The “contact hypothesis” tested and verified by Gutek and her colleagues provides a substantive understanding of our findings on workplace and occupational numerical predominance. Second, organizations that take a variety of steps to address sexual harassment are more apt to be successful in curtailing the problem than those relying mainly on “get out the word” techniques.

How to Stop Harassment: Professional Construction of Legal Compliance in Organizations

“…The contact hypothesis suggests that harassment increases with exposure to men (Gruber 1998;Gutek, Cohen, and Konrad 1990;KauppinenToropainen and Gruber 1993), and that the percentage of men in the workplace increases the incidence of harassment (De Coster, Estes, and Mueller 1999). If harassment itself elicits antiharassment measures, then the percentage of men should increase the use of sexual harassment procedures and training, and the percentage of nonminorities should increase the use of general harassment procedures that cover racial harassment.…”

Sex differences in outcomes and harasser characteristics associated with frightening sexual harassment appraisals.

“…Furthermore, studies have found that individuals with low organizational status, especially within male-dominated organizations, are more likely to experience sexual harassment (e.g., Buchanan, Settles, & Woods, 2008;Firestone & Harris, 1999;Fitzgerald et al, 1999;Gruber, 1998Gruber, , 2003 and individuals with higher organizational status are less likely to be targets of sexual harassment (Cortina, Magley, Williams, & Langhout, 2001;Settles, Buchanan, & Colar, 2012). In addition, when the perpetrator has higher status and power, individuals perceive their sexual harassment as being more severe (e.g., Cortina, Fitzgerald, & Drasgow, 2002;O'Connell & Korabik, 2000).…”

There’s a Policy for That: A Comparison of the Organizational Culture of Workplaces Reporting Incidents of Sexual Harassment

“…Considering sexual harassment lawsuits can cost companies tens of thousands to millions of dollars per case (EEOC, 2006), many organizations have taken the EEOC's advice to heart. Empirical findings are mixed, however, as to whether having a policy is enough to deter incidents of sexual harassment in and of itself (Bergman, Langhout, Palmieri, Cortina, & Fitzgerald, 2002;Bond, 1995;Gruber, 1998;Pierce, Rosen, & Hiller, 1997;Reese & Lindenberg, 2004). As behavior analysts are well aware, "behavior is a function of interactions between a person and that person's environment" (Brethower, 2002).…”

“…One of the most prominent characteristics researched to date is the sex ratio of the occupation and/or work place (DeCoster, Estes, & Mueller, 1999;Fitzgerald, Drasgow, Hulin, Gelfand, & Magley, 1997;Gruber, 1998;Mueller, DeCoster, & Estes, 2001;O'Hare & O'Donohue, 1998). In fact, feminist theory suggests a core objective of sexual harassment has been to illustrate to women that they are not wanted in certain workplaces and that they are not respected as members of particular work groups (O'Hare & O'Donohue, 1998;Reskin & Padavic 1994).…”

“…However, both Fitzgerald et al (1997) and Mueller et al (2001) found that women working in utility companies were more likely to perceive sexual harassment as a problem if they were employed in a male-dominated work group or occupation. Similarly, Gruber (1998) found that "women are most apt to be targets of sexual harassment when their visibility in their work environment centers on gender-based status differences, that is, they have a nontraditional job in a male-dominated work environment…, or their traditionally female job is located in a work environment that involves a high degree of contact with men…" (p. 311).…”