Motivational Factors That Keep Women Silent About Sexual Harassment

Abstract

Sexual harassment has increased over the last three decades as greater numbers of women in the workforce have challenged traditional societal roles for females. It is pervasive, well documented, and predominantly endured by females. Yet, despite the publicity given to sexual harassment, it remains hidden by most of its victims in our society. The most common response to sexual harassment is avoidance and appeasement of the perpetrator without direct confrontation. Most women use these types of emotion-focused coping strategies in an attempt to handle the situation on their own, because they believe that it is their responsibility. This belief is based on society's traditional expectations of gender roles. This paper explores some of the complexities of sexual harassment _such as the roots of its existence and its various definitions. The paper also underlines cultural attitudes toward gender roles which result in obstacles to the reporting of abuse.