Are these professions more likely to be sexually harassed? A study involving tens of thousands of people revealed that public figures and tourism operators are high-risk groups
The issue of “sexual harassment” has become very popular recently. Instead of receiving protection from their superiors, many female victims have to take the initiative to make concessions to the perpetrators. This has made many people pay attention to issues related to sexual autonomy. Sexual harassment is not just a “harmless” behavior! Many literatures have pointed out that experiencing sexual harassment is related to victims’ reduced self-confidence, increased stress, fatigue or sleep problems, and even suicidal thoughts.
Are women with long working hours and high monthly income more at risk? Study reveals 8 major risk factors for sexual harassment
A research team from the University of Iceland in Iceland first analyzed sexual harassment-related papers on five major academic websites to determine the prevalence of sexual harassment in the current workplace or campus environment, and selected 30,403 female subjects through the Icelandic Stress and Gene Analysis (SAGA). , age distribution is 18-69 years old. After the research team distinguished based on demographic characteristics, the preliminary results obtained are as follows:
Women aged 25-34 (38.7%) are most likely to be sexually harassed, followed by women aged 35-44 (37.9%) and 18-24 (34.3%).
People with multiple genders (such as homosexuals or bisexuals, 48.7%) are more likely to be sexually harassed than heterosexual women (33.6%).
Single people (39.1%) are more likely to be sexually harassed than women who are married or in a relationship (31.8%).
Those with a doctorate (39.3%) or master’s degree (36.5%) are more likely to be sexually harassed than those with a bachelor’s degree (32.9%) or high school graduates or vocational education (33.7%).
Those whose monthly income is higher than NT$156,532 (35.8%), and those whose monthly income is lower than NT$67,071 (35.6%), compared with those in other income ranges (67,071-111,785 NT$, 31.3%; 111,785-156,532 NT$, 32.8%) %) are more likely to be sexually harassed.
Those who work longer hours (>80 hours per week, 40.7%; 60-79 hours per week, 43.6%), compared with those who work shorter hours (<20 hours per week, 34.2%; 20-39 hours, 30.2%; 40-59 hours, 32.9%) are more likely to be sexually harassed.
Those who work shifts (41.3%) or have irregular working hours (38.3%) are more likely to be sexually harassed than those who have two days off per week (29.3%).
People living in the capital area (35.8%) are more likely to be sexually harassed than other regions (28.7%, 29.3%, 29.2%, and 27.7% in the northeast, west, south, and South Peninsula of Iceland respectively).
Which professions are more likely to be sexually harassed? Are the tourism industry and public figures high-risk groups?
The research team concluded that risk factors such as age, sexual orientation, relationship status, education, monthly income, working hours, nature of work, and place of residence may be related to the severity of sexual harassment experienced by women. If we look at women’s occupations alone, public figures (15.7%), tourism (15.0%) and legal practitioners (13.6%) are the occupations most likely to be sexually harassed; the occupations less likely to be sexually harassed are education workers (6.8%), catering workers (6.4%), and office and administrative workers (5.8%).
Study author Svava Dogg Jonsdottir said that this study has the advantages of large sample size, sufficient theoretical background and diverse distribution of female groups. However, the vast majority of the female subjects participating in the study were residents of Iceland, and it only reflected the situation in Iceland. If we want to know the distribution of sexual harassment around the world, we need to include more women from different countries or regions for analysis.
Sexual harassment is not “just a trivial matter”! Those who are harassed may face serious consequences
As for the consequences of sexual harassment, what harm will it do to women’s physical and mental health? A study involving 4,011 participants by “Frontiers in Psychology” showed that sexual harassment in the workplace may cause physical and mental illnesses for both men and women, such as depression, sleep disorders, musculoskeletal injuries, etc.; if the company system is less transparent and does not differentiate between rewards and punishments, it will The stronger the correlation between sexual harassment incidents, the more sexual harassment incidents there will be. The American Heart Association has also pointed out that sexual violence in sexual assault is associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure in women.
A study by BioMed Research International that analyzed 1,773 female firefighters found that those who suffered sexual harassment or violence in the past had an increase of more than 40% in the number of days of poor health. Literature published in the “Journal of Affective Disorders” shows that sexual harassment is one of the high risk factors for depression in victims; the authoritative journal “British Medical Journal” (BMJ) even pointed out that exposure to sexual harassment will lead to the risk of suicide or attempted suicide. Increase.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued guidance stating that victims of sexual violence are more likely to smoke, drink alcohol, take drugs, and engage in risky sexual behaviors. In addition, trauma caused by sexual violence may affect employment performance, including mental instability, poor job performance, unemployment, or inability to work. These problems disrupt the ability to maintain life and may make it difficult to maintain relationships and return to places such as work or school.
The public is reminded that as long as they encounter words or actions related to sex or gender that make a person feel uncomfortable or uncomfortable, and feel offended or insulted, this may constitute sexual harassment or sexual violence. Serious sexual harassment can even evolve into sexual assault or forced indecency. Therefore, if you encounter sexual harassment, you should have the courage to stop the other party, or call the 24-hour hotline “113” directly for further assistance.
Source:
Further reading:
