Why is Workplace Sexual Harassment Underreported? The Value of Outside Options Amid the Threat of Retaliation

Who posted #MeToo, why, and what happened: A mixed methods examination

“…Vijayasiri (74) indicated that trust in the reporting processes in an organization was a key predictor of reporting; note however that this study used cross-sectional data and, as the author acknowledges, trust in reporting is a result of reporting and good organizational responses, as well as a predictor of reporting. Concerns about retaliation, not being taken seriously, and other silencing techniques have been found to suppress formal reporting of sexual harassment (7,8,(76)(77)(78). To some extent, we found similar effects herein.…”

“…Relative power refers to the power dynamics between those who harass and those who become the targets of harassment and can include perpetrators who have (a) greater, (b) equivalent, or (c) lower organizational power than the targets (37). Relative organizational power was considered because SH is typically enacted by more powerful people toward less powerful people (7,38), but reporting more powerful people is more threatening to workplace and economic wellbeing than reporting less powerful people, and it is clear that there are economic costs to reporting (8). Further, within the context of formal reporting, high status perpetrators are less likely to receive organizational repercussions for their harassing behaviors (7).…”

“…Importantly, the negative effects of reporting SH was largely due to the organization's responses to the report (7); reporting informally via an online channel, such as with #MeToo, may not hold the same expectations for organizational consequences and therefore relationships between reporting online and job satisfaction may differ from these relationships with formal reporting. On the other hand, the choice to post online vs. (or in addition to) reporting through formal means may be emblematic of a target's concern over the formal reporting process and perceived outcomes, which are clearly important (7,8,63,74,77). Reporting with #MeToo may still increase retaliation, minimization of complaints, and sexual harassment tolerant organizational climates, further increasing negative job and life satisfaction.…”

“…Previous research on sexual harassment disclosure has focused on the failings of formal reporting systems (7)(8)(9)(10), while less research has explored the alternative forms that reporting may take, such as disclosures made online (11,12). The current research aims to address this gap in the literature by exploring those disclosures made in the specific online context that followed the #MeToo movement.…”

Deterrence or Backlash? Arrests and the Dynamics of Domestic Violence

“…Our first test is based on a simple threshold model for reporting behavior, with testable implications regarding the severity of repeat DV calls. The model builds on those used by Dahl and Knepper (2021) and Boone and Van Ours (2006) in the contexts of workplace sexual harassment and workplace safety, respectively.…”