Browsing by Author "Otto, Marinda"

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    Sexual harassment of women in the workplace
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 1997-03) Otto, Marinda; Du Toit, J. B.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economical and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Sexual harassment is a serious problem for many working women and research has proven beyond doubt that sexual harassment at work is not an isolated phenomenon. On the contrary, it is clear that for many women sexual harassment is an unpleasant and unavoidable part of their working lives. Sexual harassment pollutes the working environment and can have a devastating effect upon the health, confidence, morale and performance of those affected by it. The anxiety and stress produced by sexual harassment commonly lead to those subjected to it taking time off work due to sickness, being less efficient at work, or leaving their job to seek work elsewhere. There are also adverse· consequences arising from sexual harassment for employers. It has a direct impact on the profitability of the enterprise where staff take sick leave or resign their posts because of sexual harassment, and on the economic efficiency of the enterprise where employees' productivity is reduced by having to work in a climate in which individuals' integrity is not respected. As a first step in showing management's concern and their· commitment to dealing with the problem of sexual harassment, employers should issue a policy statement which expressly states that all employees have a right to be treated with dignity, that sexual harassment at work will not be permitted or condoned and that employees have a right to complain about it should it occur. An important means of ensuring that sexual harassment does not occur and that if it does occur, the problem is resolved efficiently is through the provision of training. Such training should aim to identify the factors which contribute to a working environment free of sexual harassment and to familiarise participants with their responsibilities under the employer's policy. The development of clear and precise procedures to deal with sexual harassment once it has occurred is of great importance. The procedures should ensure the resolution of problems in an efficient and effective manner. Both informal and formal methods of resolving problems should be available. The exploratory study showed that men and women recognised the more serious forms of sexual harassment as such, but there was less consensus and a great deal of ambivalence in employees' use of the term sexual harassment on the less serious, but decidedly more common, interactions. Concerning men and women's attitudes towards women in general, women in the workplace, sexual harassment and sexual experiences at work, there do exist some significant differences. The major study led to the following findings: The percentage of female employees who have encountered sexual harassment .. accumulated to 55,44 percent. Unwanted sexual teasing, jokes, remarks or questions, unwanted sexually suggestive looks or gestures, and unwanted deliberate touching, leaning over, cornering, or pinching were the most frequently experienced forms of sexual harassment. The alleged harassers were described as men in the age group 30 to 49 years, married, with a qualification of standard 9 to.1 0 and they were perceived as being of average attractiveness. With regard to women's reactions to sexual harassment, objecting was found to be the most frequently used response, followed by the option to avoid the harasser and thereafter to ignore the behaviour. Reasons given for not reporting these incidents are that they did not think it was serious enough, they did not want to make a fuss, and they saw no real need to report it. Among the emotional responses that harassment elicits, anger was experienced the most, followed by embarrassment, disgust and insult. The psychological and physical reactions included. experiencing tension, feeling irritated and . depressed, a sense of powerlessness and fear and anxiety. It does not seem that these experiences interfere too much with the work situation. It did cause women to be less friendly and affected the way they relate to other people. Eventually this will have a definite impact on the workplace, the people's productivity and ultimately the profitability of the company.