Sexual Harassment of Employees in Public Services

Sexual Harassment of Employees in Public Services

Research Problem

Sexual harassment at workplace is a growing concern for people all over the world. Harassment in Public service offices has become very common and many incidents are reported each year. Due to the nature of work and the environment, the issue of sexual harassment in Public services has become a persistent issue.

The present study will seek to identify the root causes, implications and deterrence caused by sexual harassment in Public service offices. Both men and women could be sexually harassed, but studies have indicated that harassment issues with females are quite higher as compared to their male counterparts (Heyman, 1994). Many studies have been conducted on the subject and varied results have been found. However, sexual harassment continues to remain as a widely discussed and researched topic for sociologists and industrial psychologists alike (Rowe, 1996).

Literature Review

The nuisance of sexual harassment has negative effects on a person's productivity and efficiency. Despite being a widely discussed topic and subjected to research, it continues to occur around the world.

According to a study conducted by (Fitzgerald et.al, 1993), the prevalence and perceptions of sexual harassment were intended to be measured. The researchers intended to find the aspects that continue to be neglected in dealing with sexual harassment. The coping behavior and victim response were found to be quite low. The researchers also concluded that the most effective way to measure harassment was by speaking to the victim directly despite the hurdles. Fitzgerald concluded that “victims of a sexual harassment do not tend to discuss it”. The researchers suggested that multilevel analysis should be conducted and different levels of harassment must be identified in order to deal with the issue.

In another study conducted at the University of Arizona, sexual harassment at workplace was considered as a purely gender-based issue which tends to have major effects on the victim. The research intended to study the effects of harassment in three complementary areas i.e. psychological, somatic and work related. Another aspect of the study intended to deal with female victims and how they managed to cope with it. Although, this study could not be generalized to all conditions, but resulted in providing a concrete assessment of the issue. It yielded a comprehensive list of qualitative responses from the victims, but since it focused on three major areas, its results could not be generalized (Bingham, et. al, 2002).

In a study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, Drasgow&Charles (1997) intended to study the variance of harassment of women in organizational settings. The conceptual models to identify the triggers of harassment were also identified. According to the outcome of the study, organizational hierarchy was found to be an important variable in women to be subject to harassment. Drasgow and associates found out that women on the lower end of hierarchy were more prone to sexual harassment as compared to women higher in the organizational ladder.

A recurring issue in social science research on sexual harassment ...