Employee Perspectives on Reporting Sexual Harassment in the Workp

Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study

Introduction

Sexual harassment in the workplace is a severe and frequently prevalent issue in

many organizations. The issue is prevalent in every type of organization, on some level,

and constitutes an urgent concern in contemporary society. Efforts are being made to

address the issue in societies around the globe, with current trends highlighting that this

behavior is entirely unacceptable and inappropriate in the workplace. In this study, I

conducted a comprehensive review and analysis of sexual harassment, focusing on why

employees who have been subjected to sexual harassment may not report such an

incident and how reporting of sexual harassment subsequently impacted the workplace

experiences of those who report the issue.

Scholars have widely examined sexual harassment in the workplace. For example,

researchers have examined the prevalence of employee sexual harassment by gender and

its effects on gender performance and morale (Rihal et al., 2020). Recent research on this

topic has shown that individual and relational resilience in the context of an incident in

the workplace are essential factors to consider moving forward (Ford & Ivancic, 2020).

While providing critical insights into the problem, such studies only captured some

dimensions. The issues involved with sexual harassment in the workplace are complex,

multi-faceted and have many important legal implications. Therefore, comprehensive

literature consultation across diverse disciplines and research areas was necessary to

understand the problem.

Among these complexities, according to recent research, there is the lack of real-

world application of sexual harassment laws (Dahl & Knepper, 2021). Hébert (2020)

explained that legal terminology serves to protect the workplace from unsubstantiated

claims by incorporating concepts such as the unwelcomeness requirement and the

measurement of the actions as severe or pervasive. Essentially, the current dialogue

indicates that the laws represent what should be rather than what is relevant in the

workplace (Dahl & Knepper, 2021; Hébert, 2020). In this model, victims of sexual

harassment remain aware of the potential for being blamed or perceived as overreacting

to a behavior that is not deemed severe or pervasive (Hébert, 2020). Where laws and

practices do not protect these victims, there is a need to better understand how the laws

can be rewritten to empower those who experience workplace sexual harassment and

deter these behaviors by increasing accountability (Dahl & Knepper, 2021; Hébert,

2020).

Another complexity in the application of the laws has been presented as the lack

of knowledge provided to employees about the processes for reporting sexual harassment

(Clancy et al., 2020). Even in cases where whistleblower programs are in effect, Boles et

al. (2020) explained that employees are often unaware of the legal processes while being

overly conscious of legal thresholds within the context of retaliation protection. The

presentation of these protections often highlights the constraint of clear definitions in the

law, declaring an internal approach to subjectively determining the severity of the

behaviors (Boles et al., 2020). Subordinates are provided with enough information to

achieve compliance, while remaining primarily uncertain of their rights (Boles et al.,

2020; Clancy et al., 2020). The same organizational subjectivity, in this frame of

discussion, is applied to the perceptions of retaliation (Boles et al., 2020). According to

Boles et al. (2020), while some workplaces have policies that surpass the requirements of

the laws, others continue to justify decisions based on the loopholes that the legislation

affords. To close these gaps, it is imperative that the legal mandates are informed by the

lived experiences of those who have experienced sexual harassment and related

retaliation.

In the literature review section of this study, I review over 150 academic research

articles to provide an understanding of various aspects of the issue related to business

organizations. Through my literature review, I found that many researchers have

investigated this problem by focusing on prevention, laws governing workplace practices,

and employee satisfaction (Block & Whitehead, 2019; Conte, 2019; Griffith & Medeiros,

2020; World Health Organization, 2019). The most significant percentage of cases of

sexual harassment in the workplace were also unreported (Siuta & Bergman, 2019),

creating a need for a better understanding of the barriers to reporting sexual harassment.

At the same time, practices to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace have proved

futile (Kahsay et al., 2020; Levinson, 2019; Rihal et al., 2020; Studzińska, 2019).

Investigating the lived experiences and outcomes of persons who experience and report

sexual harassment in the workplace was critical for understanding such barriers from the

perspective of persons who experience the issue.

My goal for this study was to provide valuable insights for policymakers, guiding

them in the development of effective measures to combat sexual harassment in the

workplace. By informing the best practices, I sought to contribute to the improvement of

programs promoting the reporting of such incidents and addressing any adverse impacts

on victims. My goal was to facilitate social change by demystifying the issue and raising

public awareness about the problem.

Background

Sexual harassment is a pervasive social issue that has permeated many different

areas of society and the workplace for many decades at least—but perhaps it became

especially prominent after women entered the workforce more regularly than in previous

generations. Especially during the era following what is known as the second wave of

feminism during the 1970s, women began to exercise their rights more fully (Antunovic,

2019; Keplinger et al., 2018; Seidman, 2019). They entered many prominent professions

where men had been accustomed to a type of boys' club, heckling secretaries, and others

without any consequences for their outrageous behaviors—such as in business

organizations, medical science, and academia—all of which changed radically throughout

the 1970s/80s period (Antunovic, 2019; Keplinger et al., 2018; Seidman, 2019). For these

reasons, as well as many sociohistorical events, there was an increased focus in research

relating to sexual harassment from the 1990s through the early 2000s (Fitzgerald &

Cortina, 2018, p. 215).

Several recent studies have revealed that sexual harassment is a prevalent concern

among many organizations—not only in the workplace but in most settings with

organizational hierarchies with power differentials. Where people are in authoritative

roles or where one person's position confers more power on the individual compared to

the other, a type of power relation is set up that creates the potential for sexual

harassment to occur. For example, in academic settings where students and teachers work

together, teachers are considered authority figures, and some teachers take advantage of

this power dynamic (Wood et al., 2021). Furthermore, Wood et al. (2021) noted that

peer-mentors or students assigned to work duties that mimic authority are perceived as

having authority over the general student population. This is a common situation for - the

majority of women, but also men in some cases – in diverse types of organizations

(Brown et al., 2019; Chadha et al., 2020; Choo et al., 2019; Fenwick et al., 2021).

According to the studies, women and girls were frequently victims of these situations that

were accurately categorized as sexual harassment (Fitzgerald & Cortina, 2018).

Nevertheless, there is a gap in the research literature on sexual harassment and why many

cases are not reported. In this research study, and especially in the literature review

section, I addressed this gap in an organized, comprehensive manner.

Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination (Griffith & Medeiros, 2020). There

is a specific philosophical underpinning in discussing the laws regarding sexual

harassment. The laws governing workplace practices on sexual harassment in business

organizations were considered in any situation that may arise (Block & Whitehead,

2019). For example, Block and Whitehead (2019) discussed the types of practices related

to sexual harassment in the workplace, it became evident that the complexity of the issues

involved needed to be sorted out at various levels of legal institutions and organizations

(Block & Whitehead, 2019).

Block and Whitehead (2019) expressed the following concerns:

The current sexual harassment law with a focus on what sexual

harassment looks like, the quid pro quo and hostile environment doctrines,

the recent supervisor liability guidance from the Supreme Court, and our

concerns about the vagueness and First Amendment issues that arise in the

context of the claims (p. 139).

However, due to the involvedness of the issues regarding sexual harassment incidents in

the workplace and several other related issues, there was a definite vagueness

surrounding the topic that needed to be addressed more specifically. According to Conte

(2019), sexual harassment exposes the vagueness of the supervision guidelines provided

by the Supreme Court.

Thus, several research studies were conducted on this topic to clarify the

situations that may arise—not only from an ethical point of view but, importantly,

including the legal perspectives required to move forward with a court case. One notable

study conducted by Kahsay et al. (2020) explored the perceived injustice of the current

sexual harassment law. In their published journal article, the researchers provided a more

comprehensive analysis than many other articles on the topic. They achieved this by

adopting a holistic approach, examining the issue from various perspectives. This

inclusive method offers a more complex understanding of sexual harassment, a

perspective often lacking in existing literature. Significantly, the authors distinguished

sexual harassment from its previous portrayal in the literature, which predominantly

emphasized the attraction aspects of the behavior (Kahsay et al., 2020).

As the authors explained, behavior that is currently characterized as sexual

harassment is viewed differently than it was in the past—that is, researchers, as well as

legal scholars, understood the complexity of the issues involved (Kahsay et al., 2020).

Within this evolving context, Kahsay et al. (2020) observed that sexual harassment is

more appropriately understood as discriminatory conduct that may have much to do with

hostility and sometimes little to do with sexual desire. This progress in understanding

sexual harassment, in turn, influences evolution in the research, law, and preventive and

corrective mechanisms that apply to sexual harassment. This more modern approach

provided additional clarity regarding many of the underlying issues in sexual harassment,

thereby providing a stronger foundation for legal recourse where sexual harassment

occurs. It did not resolve the entire issue, but it was a positive step in the right direction.

According to Levinson (2019), sexual harassment is easily perpetrated in the

current societal system and with devastating impacts. This assessment was confirmed by

numerous other research articles on the topic reviewed in this study. Rihal et al. (2020)

observed that sexual harassment can occur as an aspect of the workplace culture in any

business organization, significantly affecting job performance and many other areas of

human relations. Siuta and Bergman (2019) posited that sexual harassment in the

workplace affects the psychological well-being of an individual. Confirming this

observation, Von Gruenigen and Karlan (2018) explored the impacts of sexual

harassment on the well-being of the victims. Similarly, they found that such experiences

negatively and seriously affected the well-being of victims. Therefore, the need to

address this issue effectively is urgent, from non-contact aspects, such as making sexist

comments, to physical harassment (Rihal et al., 2020). According to MacDonald (2019),

the evidence was overwhelming in that an end to the practice of sexual harassment is a

necessity. However, much work needs to be done from a societal perspective.

Yet, despite an understanding that all occurrences of sexual harassment, as

perceived by the victim, result in poor working conditions, the legal relevance of these

claims remains elusive in both research and practice (Dahl & Knepper, 2021; Hébert,

2020). In fact, Boles et al. (2020) explained that, even though the individual feels

victimized, the perpetrator or organization is not accountable unless the subjective

perception of the event is supported by legal terminology. This raises significant

questions as to the difference between the victim’s perception, the organization’s

justification, and the court’s interpretation of the events. Furthermore, according to Boles

et al. (2020), the organization is responsible, under the notion of compliance, for

informing the subordinates of their rights and protections under the law.

One such law, according to Garrick and Buck (2020), is the Whistleblower

Protection Act, which is intended to prevent retaliation for reporting unethical behaviors

including sexual harassment. Multiple governing agencies have set accountability terms

to define the concept of retaliation (Garrick & Buck, 2020). For instance, the EEOC

includes aspects of scrutiny, performance evaluation, physical abuse, transfer, and verbal

abuse while OSHA defines retaliation tactics such as denial of benefits, blacklisting, and

firing (Garrick & Buck, 2020). The World Health Organization uses terms such as

insecurity and isolation, along with bullying and poor work environments (Garrick &

Buck, 2020). Interestingly, the retaliation costs in the literature primarily focused on

those to the organization such as reputation and financial restitution (Heese & Pérez-

Cavazos, 2021). This leaves a significant gap in knowledge relating to how these

retaliation practices with notable variations in definitions affect the victims of sexual

harassment.

To some extent, the lived experiences of women who have reported sexual

harassment have been examined in the literature. For instance, Saade (2023) found that,

because there has been an increase in women in leadership, there has been a coinciding

elevation in women reporting sexual harassment. From this correlation, the researchers

were able to assert that there is a higher comfort level in whistleblowing when women are

represented in leadership positions (Saade, 2023). Yet, Porter (2020) pointed out that it is

not only leadership who can retaliate against whistleblowers. In fact, the researcher found

that, when leadership leaks information about whistleblowers to other subordinates, the

victims are likely to experience bullying and isolation from their colleagues (Porter,

2020). However, because such actions are not defined under the legal constructs of

retaliation, there is minimal research on these lived experiences. Therefore, it is not

known if this is a factor in determining whether or not to report or how this impacts the

work experiences for those who report sexual harassment.

In both areas of complexities explored in the literature present a significant need

for continued research. It is important to understand if the current laws such as the

Whistleblower Protection Act are being clearly communicated or if the organizational

presentations are hindering active reporting. Additionally, it is essential to know if

retaliation tactics beyond what is defined by the governing agencies are being used to

punish those who come forward. By exploring the lived experiences of those who either

chose not to report and those who did report but experienced varying degrees of

retaliation, this study aimed to address these gaps in current knowledge and better inform

legal doctrine and practical applications.

Problem Statement

The issue of harassment involving sexual overtures or overtones is pervasive in

many business organizations. This problem occurs even in organizations where strict

professional and ethical codes of conduct are required and expected, such as in medical

and scientific organizations (Vargas et al., 2020; World Health Organization, 2019).

Hundreds of studies pointed in this direction, albeit with the hope and the promise that

the issues involved were coming more to the forefront of public awareness and legal

recourse for such types of concerns (Mallett et al., 2021; Wasti et al., 2020; Whitley,

2022). However, studies revealed that many incidents of sexual harassment often go

unreported. This research sought to explore and understand the reasons for low reporting

of sexual harassment in the workplace. First, it was essential to understand as much as

possible why an employee who had been sexually harassed may not have reported such

an incident (Frisinger, 2021). As Ford and Ivanec (2020) pointed out in their study,

different people assign meaning in a unique way to an incident of sexual harassment.

This insight emerged from their study on organizational tolerance toward sexual

harassment and how it influences resilience, harassment fatigue, coping, and the victim's

perceived vulnerability to future sexual harassment. Evidence from the literature, thus,

indicates that there are diverse dimensions to the issue of sexual harassment. Researchers

need to examine the issue from various perspectives to understand the problem

comprehensively, how to prevent it, and how to address its outcomes (French et al., 2021;

Marín et al., 2021). This topic is thoroughly discussed and analyzed in the literature

review section of this study to ascertain specific patterns and trends that arose in the

current research literature.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the perspectives of

individuals who were victims of sexual harassment in the workplace, especially related to

the process of reporting. Sexual harassment is a pervasive workplace problem in business

organizations of the 21st century (World Health Organization, 2019). In these

contemporary times, the issues involved with sexual harassment in the workplace are

complex, multi-faceted, and have many important legal implications. Further, the topic

has been prominent among research scholars in the legal and social sciences for over

twenty years or more (Clancy et al., 2020). Despite the discussions among these

academic professionals and other key decision-makers in political circles, surprisingly,

little progress has been made in moving forward progressively in the workplace when the

subject is sexual harassment. It is a severe issue that, in many circles, has not gained a

significant amount of attention, which causes various psychological side issues as well

(Ford & Ivancic, 2020). Sexual harassment is a predominant form of heckling or making

a person feel uncomfortable in the workplace; it does not bring a positive social climate

into the business organization. Instead, it has a demeaning effect, which is quite

damaging for those experiencing sexual harassment (Griffith & Medeiros, 2020).

Research Questions

In this research study, I addressed the following two questions about experience

of reporting or not reporting sexual harassment in the workplace and the impact on how

individuals perceived their workplace after reporting the incident:

Research Question 1: What factors are perceived as those influencing the decision

of workers to report or not report sexual harassment in the workplace?

Research Question 2: How do those who report sexual harassment perceive the

lived experience of their work environment after the event?

Theoretical Framework for the Study

The theoretical framework that I used for this qualitative research study was the

feminist theory, which was formalized by the works of Charlotte Perkins Gilman.

According to her theoretical work on the topic of feminism,

uneasiness appears to be an expression of an androcentric world, more generally

speaking, of a world in which gender relations are understood according to the

pattern of normality and deviation…unease can be understood as an expression of

power asymmetries that damage the epistemic authority of some" (Wille, 2020, p.

1).

It was this sense of unease and how it relates to gender roles and relations in the

workplace and society where the question of sexual harassment issues intersects within

the culture overall. Awareness and recognition of the diversity of lived experiences were

crucial for recognizing the role of gender power in developing theories and practices of

sexual harassment to understand some of the significant issues involved (Grosser &

Tyler, 2021). Employee satisfaction was another concept used to gauge the prevalence of

sexual harassment in the workplace (Block & Whitehead, 2019). In addition to feminist

theory, Charlotte Perkins Gilman had given courses on gender-based violence on war

rape. A new approach to sexual harassment was developed in this study (Kahsay et al.,

2020; MacDonald, 2019).

To further support the application of the feminist theory, it was necessary to

examine the potential utilization of other relevant theories. Firstly, the organizational

justice theory was considered with a focus on an explanatory method for examining

organizational justice and transparency (see Neall et al., 2021). In this theoretical

approach, it is possible to assess the relationships between perceived justice and

organizational trust (Solinas-Saunders et al., 2024). Relating to the current study, this

theory could have provided insight as to the role of organizational trust in the decision to

report sexual harassment, but it would not have provided for the context of lived

experiences following the report. Secondly, the social exchange theory was considered as

the theory provides the foundation for interpreting decisions based on perceived risks and

benefits (Aggarwal & Brenner, 2020). Like the organizational justice theory, Aggarwal

and Brenner (2020) explained that the social exchange theory involves an element of trust

in that the rules of exchange should benefit all parties. Yet, more importantly, the belief

component of the reciprocity rules is dependent on the diverse perspectives among the

exchange participants and the cultural orientation (Aggarwal & Brenner, 2020). This

approach could have informed the current study in identifying the perceptions of potential

negative exchanges upon reporting and exploring the justifications for these deviations.

However, the theory holds an emphasis on all parties in the exchange while this study

focused on the victims’ decisions and lived experiences.

After consideration of the organizational justice theory and the social exchange

theory, I determined that the feminist theory provided a more comprehensive approach to

the study. More specifically, the approach provided that sexual harassment was a

complex and multi-faceted phenomenon, and the lack of consensus on definitions and

measurements has hampered knowledge. Other scholars, such as Griffith and Medeiros

(2020), suggested that workplace practices could be improved through better laws to

govern employee satisfaction. The research gap, in this case, was that the barriers to

reporting sexual harassment in the workplace were not fully explored, as well as the

impacts of reporting on the workplace experience for those who do report this problem.

Nature of the Study

I used a qualitative method and phenomenological design for this study.

Phenomenology is well-suited to examine a research topic where the participants live

through the experiences of the phenomena under investigation. Each participant's unique

experiences and outlook on the topic were evaluated to develop some desired conclusions

(Peled-Raz et al., 2021). Some of the areas that I delved into with this design were to find

out how the employee's outlook towards sexual harassment affects the decision of

whether the incident will get reported and if reported, how were they experience

afterwards.

The data collection stage involved using a an interview guide that I developed to

conduct Zoom video or phone interviews based on the participant's preference. The

interviews were audio-recorded after getting consent from the participants (see Peled-Raz

et al., 2021). The population for this research study was 12 adults aged 18 and upward

who had been a victim of some form of sexual harassment at organizations based on

convenience sampling results of volunteer employees drawn from all sectors of the

American workforce in the United States. I defined harassment as unwelcomed conduct,

whether verbal, visual, nonverbal, or physical, that is sexual or related on someone's sex

(U.S. EEOC 2018b). However, it was essential to acknowledge the disruptive and even

hostile behavior underlying sexual harassment to understand the full view of its negative

reach in workplace situations.

Several essential statutes and laws have been formulated over the past several

decades to address the issues involved with sexual harassment in the workplace from a

legal position. Legal standards established for actionable workplace harassment must be

severe or pervasive with negative implications for working conditions (U.S. EEOC

2018b). In this study, I explored, reviewed, and analyzed the topic of sexual harassment

by way of a sampling research procedure. After convenience sampling and the population

were drawn out, stratified sampling was done so that the study was undertaken on an

equal number of male and female employees (see Peled-Raz et al., 2021). The recording

tool that I used was an audio recorder. In cases where the respondent was willing to

reveal their identity, the video camera on Zoom was used to record the interview.

The data analysis approach that I used was the use of concept analysis and theme

coding. Each of these research methods is further explained in Chapter 3, methodology.

For introductory purposes, it is essential to acknowledge that these methods are used

frequently in research studies and are considered reliable, valid, and appropriate for

conducting qualitative analytical studies (Trochim, 2020). Text analysis was carried out

to filter and separate vital research information (Walden University, Center for Research

Quality, 2022). Afterward, the concept analysis was undertaken, and the concepts that

stood out from the interviews were picked. This process went along with the thematic

coding of the filtered interview research, where the various themes that stood out and

accounted for the phenomenon under investigation were itemized.

Definitions

Sexual harassment refers to unwanted sexual or otherwise suggestive remarks and

possible physical contact in a social or workplace setting (Tenbrunsel et al.,2019;

Theriault, 2020). For a more formal definition that may be consulted as a general

organization of understanding, the following is an excellent one: Sexual harassment is

behavior that derogates, demeans, or humiliates an individual based on that individual's

sex which may involve sexual force and degradation, sexist materials, comments, and

jokes, or other acts experienced by an individual (Galdi & Guizzo, 2021). Due to the

clarification of several associated issues that these authors provided, it was evident that

sexual harassment may be quite complex. It was much more than just a brief flirtation at

the water cooler between an overtly interested male and one of the female employees.

Instead, sexual harassment also tinged upon the subject of demeaning and making the

person feel uncomfortable, harassed in general, and a fundamental disruption in the

workplace setting, which can escalate over time and continue to be a severe problem

overall. These definitions have been in place for some years; the general public

understands them well, and they are also clearly recognized in courts of law. For this

reason, it was essential to acknowledge the academic research conducted on sexual

harassment during previous decades, especially around the new millennium milestone

around 2000.

Due to the nature of the research inquiry to include the lived experiences of

victims of sexual harassment, it was also important to establish a foundational

understanding of the laws intended to protect whistleblowers. According to Fiorelli

(2020), early laws were intended to benefit the government by offering a bounty to those

who reported conspirators just after the Civil War. The False Claims Act has continued to

be revised to encourage whistleblowing among wrongdoers. In 2002, the Sarbanes-Oxley

(SOX) provided some protection for employment-based whistleblowers when reports of

securities fraud occurred. The Dodd-Frank Act of 2008 added to the SOX by

incorporating elements of the False Claims Act in terms of payment for reports.

However, the Dodd-Frank Act also included protections against retaliation, but gaps in

application remained when the reports were initially made internally. The Whistleblower

Act was then established to incorporate protections for those who report behaviors not

only associated with fraud (Fiorelli, 2020). According to Owusu et al. (2020), however,

awareness of these protections remains minimal, leaving many victims frightened to

come forward. In addition to the Whistleblower Protection Act, the Dodd-Frank Act was

reformed in 2009 to incorporate a Whistleblower Protection Program, ensuring that

victims have access to legal counsel in the case of retaliation (Evans et al., 2021). Most

notably, the continued progression of these laws has been driven by new understandings

and the identification of gaps between the laws and practice. Further progression will be

supported with the results of the present study.

Assumptions

According to recent research studies on sexual harassment, public sexual

harassment is a severe disruption of the safety culture that should be provided in a

workplace setting. This was one of the significant assumptions to consider throughout the

research study. As discussed in recent times by prominent scholars, contested gendered

space is a crucial issue that will require steps toward sociolegal innovation as the 21st

century progresses (Vera-Gray & Kelly, 2020; Vidu et al., 2022). Pioneer legislation on

the second order of sexual harassment is currently being conducted in several research

studies.

Scope and Delimitations

In qualitative research, many ethical issues arise, especially concerning access to

the target audience, access to the required data, confidentiality, and privacy that impact

the feasibility of the proposed design. The research topic is sensitive as it involves private

traumatic experiences. It was imperative that if a participant agreed to take part in my

research, their identity would be guarded and that their narratives were only used for the

intended purposes (Walden University, Center for Research Quality, 2022).

Limitations

The confidentiality and privacy of the research participants were a big issue in my

qualitative research. I strictly followed the IRB ethical guidelines to ensure that the

confidentiality and privacy of my research participants were guaranteed (Peled-Raz et al.,

2021). Access to organizational data that included reported sexual harassment cases was

also a significant challenge in this research study, as there was no public or private

database. Organizations had to give their consent so that the data could be accessed

legally.

Significance

Sexual harassment is a significant area of study, not only within the ethical

boundaries of society but also within the law and social culture of the workplace. The

issues involved had many different legal implications for future business organizations.

Movements such as the #MeToo movement were especially central to how sexual

harassment was discussed and how to proactively change situations towards a more

positive focus to be successful in business organizations overall (Baum, 2019; Bissell et

al., 2021; Braileanu et al., 2021). The topic was one that continues to hold a good deal of

promise and hope in terms of feminist equality in the workplace, especially as these types

of issues pertain to sociolegal innovations (Aggarwal & Brenner, 2020; Anierobi et al.,

2021; Banerjee & Kankaria, 2022). However, there were still many unusual or less

discussed types of sexual harassment to consider within this comprehensive analysis

framework.

Summary

Sexual harassment is a grave issue in business organizations of the 21st century.

In contemporary times, the issues involved with sexual harassment in the workplace are

complex, multi-faceted, and have several important legal implications. Studies showed

that many incidences of sexual harassment go unreported. Due to the continued line of

inquiry, legislation and policies have been developed to coincide with new knowledge as

it emerged. However, although laws and policies have been implemented and adapted to

protect victims of sexual harassment from retaliation, there remains a gap in knowledge

relating to the lived experiences of victims that impact their decision to report and the

working conditions following a report. Addressing the inadequacies in the current

practices cannot be effectively achieved without incorporating the victims’ lived

experiences into the development of new policies and adaptations to existing laws.

Throughout Chapter 1, I have examined this need for continued research by

presenting an introduction to the subject, providing background information, and

establishing the problem statement. Through these processes, I was able to justify the

purpose of the study and the selection of the feminist theory as a foundation for this

research. The nature of the study was presented along with pertinent definitions, the study

scope, and delimitations, as well as the limitations. Finally, the significance of the study

led to the chapter summary.

In Chapter 2, I present an extensive review of the literature along with my search

strategy. Prior research is examined relating to defining and reporting sexual harassment,

legal perspectives, attitudes and perceptions, social change implications, and gender role

in the workplace. The analysis of the literature is presented along with the direction of the

research in contemporary times.

Chapter 2: Literature Review

Introduction

Sexual harassment is a disruptive situation in workplace settings. Persons who

experience sexual harassment feel uncomfortable as they are subjected to unwanted

sexual comments and advances and feel harassed. They have not done anything to

encourage such advances and are disturbed by them. Although persons from diverse

groups and genders can be affected, most cases appear to have occurred with women as

the frequent victims compared to men (Bondestam & Lundqvist, 2020). The impacts of

sexual harassment on women are wide-ranging. They may include damage to women's

prospects for gaining employment, limiting their career advancement, hindering higher

wages, and potentially creating an unsafe work environment that interferes with their job

performance (Mainwaring et al., 2023).

One of the main points acknowledged and focused on is that sexual harassment is

a continuing, unwanted sexual attention where the one who is experiencing the

harassment has made it clear to the perpetrator that he/she is not interested and has set the

boundaries in such a way that there should be no mistake about it. Sexual harassment

behaviors that are more widely recognized involve repeated attempts to establish

romantic relationships after refusal from the victim, unwanted touching, and sexual

assault and imposition (National et al., 2020; Vitelli, 2020). For these reasons, a clear link

exists between sexual harassment and safety issues.

I considered many different categories to achieve a complete understanding of

how sexual harassment may develop in the workplace. According to the U.S. Department

of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), sexual assault as it pertains to

sexual harassment may be defined as a nonconsensual sexual act, regardless of the

individual’s ability to consent (U.S. DOJ, OVW2018). Sexual assault may sound far

more severe than sexual harassment, although the two terms are related more frequently

than expected.

Literature Search Strategy

The articles discussed in the following paragraphs related to the topic and how I

examined the gap in literature for this study. The keywords that I searched for

were sexual harassment, sexual harassment at the workplace, sexual discrimination, the

law governing the workplace, and the impact of sexual harassment. Each of these pivotal

research articles is further discussed and analyzed in the literature review section of the

study.

The data collected for this research study were nominal data, which included

words, letters, and symbols. Perception data aimed to explain gender variations in

reporting decisions. Nominal data of reported sexual harassment cases were collected as

an essential way to inform researchers on the outcome of the various gender perspectives

on reporting sexual harassment at the workplace. Primary data were collected through

Zoom and telephone interviews. The perceptions guiding the employee views on sexual

harassment reporting were collected at this stage. The secondary data involved the

collection of nominal data on the reported sexual harassment cases from the institutions

whose employees volunteered to take part in this research study. Reported cases were

public data or access was gained by getting consent from the sampled organizations.

Defining Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

A clear definition of the term sexual harassment is a necessary backdrop to an

examination of the literature relating to its reporting and the legal perspectives associated

with this issue. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) identifies

sexual harassment as a request for sexual favors, unwelcome sexual advances, and other

harassment of a sexual nature, whether verbal or physical, conduct that explicitly or

implicitly affects the victim's employment, interferes with their work performance, and

creates a work environment that is hostile, intimidating, or offensive (U.S. EEOC,

2018a). Although sexual harassment may manifest in different forms, the concept has

three distinct categories, and overlaps may occur across the categories. The first category

is sexual coercion, which involves making job-related threats or bribing an individual to

force them into a sexual relationship with their harasser. The second category of sexual

harassment in the workplace is unwanted sexual attention, such as sexual advances

towards someone else that are unwelcome or offensive (examples include pressuring

someone for a date or touching). The third category is gender harassment, which involves

behaviors aimed at undermining workers due to their gender. Gender harassment involves

hostile behaviors and verbal attacks such as denigrating comments, violent threats, and

off-color jokes that mock the victim (Cortina & Areguin, 2021; Vitelli, 2020).

Sexual harassment is common in workplaces across the United States. According

to the EEOC, an average of 2,790 people are sexually harassed in the U.S. workplace

each year (Yaqub, 2023). Nearly two-thirds of employees who reported sexual

harassment claimed that their harasser was someone in a higher position of authority,

such as a supervisor or boss. The EEOC reported that resolutions that included sexual

harassment claims increased by 10% in 2021 (EEOC, 2022). Sexual harassment, along

with other forms of sexual violence, affects millions of people in the U.S. each year and

is associated with adverse psychological and physical health conditions (Dawson et al.,

2021; Sardinha et al., 2022).

Reporting of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

In terms of reporting, only 25% of sexual harassment in the workplace is reported

by the victims to the authorities, such as a manager, supervisor, or management.

Approximately 75% (3 in 4) of cases of workplace sexual harassment remain unreported;

63% of women who experience sexual harassment do not file a complaint, while 79% of

men keep the issue to themselves Research evidence also shows that 55% of victims of

sexual harassment in the workplace experience retaliation after making a claim or

speaking up. These alarming findings highlight the need for organizations to address this

problem. Finding ways to improve reporting of sexual harassment may be essential as

harassers get away with this behavior and continue to harass other employees if they are

not reported and held accountable for their actions (Yaqub, 2023).

Reporting of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace by Men

Launched by the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, the National

Intimate Partner, and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) is a nationally representative

survey that assesses the state of the nation on sexual violence, intimate partner violence,

stalking, and victimization among adult men and women. Data from the survey reveals

that sexual harassment and unwanted sexual experiences are equally important issues

affecting men in the country. Nearly a quarter of men in the United States (27.6 million -

24.8%) experience some form of sexual violence in their lifetime (Sardinha et al., 2022).

However, many men do not describe their experiences as sexual violence or identify

themselves as survivors or victims. Many use terms such as abusive or unwanted to

describe their experiences. Similarly, the rates of sexual harassment in the workplace

among men may differ in studies because of the differences in terminologies used when

measuring the issue (National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 2020).

Vitelli (2020) observed that while the phenomenon of women experiencing sexual

harassment on the job is more pervasive, sexual harassment of men is gaining more

attention. However, male victims of sexual abuse tend not to speak out regarding the

experience. Out of the 7,809 sexual harassment charges submitted to the EEOC in 2011,

16.1% were lodged by males, and this figure rose to 17.6% in 2013. As per a recent

survey, almost one-third of employed men encountered some form of sexual harassment

in 2019 (National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 2020; Vitelli, 2020). Vitelli (2020)

also stated that severe consequences arise from sexual harassment, irrespective of the

gender of the victim, but that sexual harassment against men has not been taken as

seriously as sexual harassment against women. Whereas extensive research has focused

on how the issue affects women emotionally and economically, fewer studies have

looked at the effects of the issue on men. Both women and men have experienced the

three types of sexual harassment in the workplace, with the perpetrators often being other

men (Vitelli, 2019).

A recent study by Griswold et al. (2020) published in the Journal Psychology of

Men and Masculinity sought to examine the factors that increase sexual harassment

among men in the workplace. The researchers collected data using Amazon's Mechanical

Turk platform. The men in the study reported that they had experienced at least one form

of sexual advance harassment within the year, such as being touched in a way that made

them feel uncomfortable or experiencing some threat if they refused to be sexually

cooperative. The study found that men who did not fit traditional gender roles were more

likely to experience harassment. Men whose behaviors challenge existing gender

hierarchy are also vulnerable to sexual harassment. For example, men are expected to be

masculine in behavior. If they deviate from that expectation, they may be exposed to

harassment. Examples include men caring for children or supporting causes seen as

feminist or unmasculine. Widespread tolerance for sexual harassment in the workplace

also emerged as a strong predictor for this behavior. The likelihood of sexual harassment

was also higher in organizations that tolerated that behavior (Bondestam & Lundqvist,

2020). A key conclusion from this study was that organizational policies against sexual

harassment in the workplace are a potent tool for preventing this behavior (Griswold et

al., 2020). Strong anti-harassment policies in a company protect men and women who

otherwise would have had no option but to leave their jobs to escape harassment (Conte,

2019). Organizational leaders must, therefore, consider strengthening such policies to

protect their employees.

Reporting Sexual Harassment in the Workplace by Women

The fact that women are particularly vulnerable to sexual harassment in the

workplace is commonly known. Roughly 1 in 3 women under 35 have been sexually

harassed in the workplace, with 38% of women reporting the issue. The proportion of

disabled women who have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace is also high,

seven out of 10 (Yaqub, 2023). Women who express strong feminist beliefs about issues

challenging gender biases are also vulnerable to sexual harassment (Vitelli, 2020). Data

from the EEOC reveals that women continue to file a higher proportion of the charges

alleging sexual harassment. Between 2018 and 2021, women filed 78.2% of the 27,291

sexual harassment charges received by the EEOC. Women also filed 62.2% out of the

98,411 total harassment charges on any basis, such as national origin or race that were

received between 2018 and 2021. For example, out of the 1,945 sexual harassment

charges filed concurrently with a race charge between 2018 and 2021, a high proportion,

71.2%, identified African American or Black as the relevant race. Among the 797

simultaneous filings of sexual harassment charges and charges related to national origin

in the same period, 15.7% of these charges were categorized as having a Mexican

national origin, while 37.6% were classified as Hispanic (EEOC, 2022; Bernstein, 2019).

Furthermore, charges of retaliation and sexual harassment are often linked. Between 2018

and 2020, out of 27,291 sexual harassment charges, 43.5% had a current charge of

retaliation (EEOC, 2022).

Reporting of Sexual Harassment of LBGTQ

A variety of sources have documented harassment and employment

discrimination against LGBTQ people. Persons who belong to sexual minorities are

vulnerable to sexual harassment, and this kind of treatment often overlaps with displays

of homophobia (Vitelli, 2020). Recent evidence shows that nearly one-third of LGBT

persons have reported experiencing discrimination or harassment in recent years. More

than 40% of LGBT workers have been harassed because of their gender identity or sexual

orientation at some point (Avery, 2021; Sears et al., 2021).

LGBTQ+ employees also face a higher risk of experiencing sexual harassment in

the workplace and often face hostility and discrimination from coworkers and employers

(Sears et al., 2021). More than 8 million workers in the United States identify as LGBT,

with recent data showing that an estimated 70% of LGBT people are sexually harassed in

the workplace. Such harassment has been found to have a negative impact on the well-

being, health, job commitment, and job satisfaction of the members of this group (Avery,

2021; Griswold et al., 2020; Hershcovis et al., 2021). One in four LGBT employees have,

at some point in their careers, experienced sexual harassment in the workplace because of

their gender identity and sexual orientation. Transgender employees were twice as likely

to report experiences of sexual harassment, with 22.4% reporting sexual harassment

compared to 11.9% of cisgender LGB employees (Avery, 2021).

Following the general pattern of sexual harassment in the workplace, LGBT

people continue to experience discrimination and harassment in the workplace even after

the Supreme Court has extended non-discrimination protections to LGBT people in the

country. The Supreme Court ruling in Bostock v Clayton County, Georgia, in June 2020

was that Title VII's protection against sex discrimination in employment also extended to

gender identity and sexual orientation. Despite this protection, 8.9% of LGBT employees

reported being fired or not being hired because of their gender identity or sexual

orientation in 2020 -2021 (Avery, 2021). LBTQ people experience other forms of

harassment, including physical violence and verbal attacks in the workplace. In addition,

a higher percentage of LGBTQ employees of color (36%) report experiencing verbal

harassment in the workplace, compared to 26% of their white counterparts (Avery, 2021).

Legal Perspective

It is evident that sexual harassment is still a somewhat subtle form of legal

discussion. It continues to be essential in how the various legal definitions were

interpreted and used within the court systems. Therefore, even though sexual assault is

considered a criminal act, the legal system also acknowledges sexual harassment as a

manifestation of workplace discrimination (Shaw et al., 2018, p. 1). Since the issues that

may evolve in the workplace when sexual harassment is present are severe—that is, they

are likely to interfere substantially with the person's job in myriad ways—such issues are

complex indeed. They are not easily met in the workplace or discussed within the

framework of one's place of employment. Nevertheless, they need to be addressed at

some level of the business organization's structure due to the legal aspects of the

situation.

For these complex reasons, various explanations, definitions, and terms related to

sexual harassment in the workplace have been developed over the years. Three categories

of sexual harassment have been recognized, encompassing gender-based harassment,

undesired sexual attention, and sexual coercion, each involving a range of verbal and

nonverbal actions (O'Hare & O'Donohue, 1998). From a legal perspective, it violates

codes and ethical laws that will be supported through the courts. Sexual harassment is

identified as illegal sex discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, an

act enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) (Shaw et

al., 2018). The EEOC states that unwelcome sexual advances and verbal or physical

sexual connotations constitute sexual harassment when this affects an individual's

employment or interferes with an individual's work performance (U.S. EEOC, 2018a).

Title VII applies to organizations with 15 or more employees, federal, state, and local

governments, labor organizations, and employment agencies. These developments are

significant regarding court cases that may arise over issues likely to occur in workplace

settings. They minimize the possibility of confusion or misconstrued intentions should a

case of sexual harassment arise in the courts or the employment offices of law and

occupational safety (Hastie, 2021).

Statutes of Limitations on Reporting Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Although there are federal and state protections against sexual harassment in the

workplace, such protections often involve pursuing a claim through the courts, and many

affected persons do not have the resources to go through the process. Many times, staying

silent about the experience may be seen as the only available option (Vitelli, 2020). At

the same time, federal and state laws place time limits on the individual's right to bring a

sexual harassment claim (Kingsley, 2021). Thus, the statute of limitations is an essential

consideration in matters relating to the reporting of sexual harassment. A statute of

limitations is a law that prohibits a plaintiff or an injured party from filing a lawsuit or

claim after a time limit or deadline set by the law has passed. Victims who fail to bring

claims before the time limit may lose their right to bring the claim. Furthermore, sexual

harassment statute of limitations may vary between federal and state laws. If a victim

misses the statute of limitations under federal law, the individual may still have the time

to file a case in state court (EEOC, n.d.; Kingsley, 2021). Time limits on sexual

harassment claims vary depending on the type of claim (such as personal injury claim),

whether the claim is civil or criminal, and the state in which the claim is filed. The EEOC

handles all Title VII claims and sets a statute of Limitations of 180 days for all Title VII

claims. Plaintiffs or victims have 180 calendar days from the most recent sexual

harassment episode to bring their causes of action. The time limit increases to 300 days,

where the state has separate sexual harassment laws protecting workers. After

investigating a claim, the EEOC provides the victims with valid claims with permission

to file a lawsuit in federal court in the form of a Right to Sue Letter (Kingsley, 2021;

EEOC, n.d.).

Different states have different laws and statutes of limitations for sexual

harassment in the workplace claims. In New York State, for example, victims have a time

limit of 3 years to file a claim or lawsuit for sexual harassment in the workplace. Sexual

harassment in the workplace is dealt with by the New York State Human Rights Law

(NYSHRL) under the sex discrimination provision. Sexual harassment claims in the state

are filed with the N.Y. State Division of Human Rights (New York State Government

Division of Human Rights, 2019). The New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL),

which mimics the NYSHRL, also has a statute of limitations of 3 years to file a sexual

harassment claim in New York City (New York State Government Division of Human

Rights, 2019).

The statute of limitations under Pennsylvania's sexual harassment laws is 180

days. Sexual harassment claims in the state are overseen by the Pennsylvania Human

Relations Commission (PHRC). In New Jersey, sexual harassment claims are filed as sex

discrimination claims under the state's New Jersey Law Against Discrimination

(NJLAD). The time limit for filing a claim under the NJLAD is two years. In Florida,

sexual harassment claims are handled by the Florida Commission of Human Relations

(FCHR). The statute of limitations to file a claim in Florida is one year from the date of

the incident. In California, the California's Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA)

protects workers from sexual harassment at work. The statute of limitations in this state is

three years. Most states have a relationship with the EEOC such that when a claim is filed

at the state level, it automatically means that a claim has been filed with the EEOC

(Derek Smith Law Group, 2021; EEOC, n.d).

Most cases of sexual harassment do not go before a jury and are settled out of

court through processes such as settlement involving monetary payments being made to

the plaintiff. Employers are also legally prohibited from engaging in retaliatory actions,

such as demoting or firing employees for filing sexual harassment complaints (EEOC,

n.d; Kingsley, 2021).

Public Awareness

Public awareness about the issues involved with sexual harassment in the

workplace was elevated to a national level of concern during the Bill Clinton presidency.

The impetus for focusing on various power relations and other vital factors of sexual

harassment became known as the Monica Lewinsky case or scandal—however, the media

reported it. This case provided an essential foundation for understanding the development

of higher levels of awareness and empowerment of women for this discussion. Sexual

coercion was discussed as being one of the three different types of sexual harassment that

was likely to take place in the workplace setting. Sexual coercion is considered or

classified as one of the least expected yet most universally recognized types of

harassment, which involves either explicit or implied bribery and threats in exchange for

sexual cooperation (O'Hare & O'Donohue, 1998). It is this type of classification of sexual

harassment that perhaps may be the most confusing one of all—or at least one that is

completely misunderstood, especially as it pertains to the types of power relations that

may be established in such a relationship that made worldwide news back in the 1990s

when Monica Lewinsky and Bill Clinton's supposed relationship—or affair—or perhaps

simply a case of sexual coercion bribery and the like—it is still nearly impossible to

determine.

A relationship between two consenting adults is very different in the eyes of the

law than one that also includes various forms of coercion and other types of threats and

bribery (Reuter et al., 2020; Vera-Gray & Kelly, 2020). The Monica Lewinsky-Bill

Clinton case almost became a spectacle for the U.S. during the late 1990s, when it was

being broadcast and reported all around the globe. Bill Clinton, the U.S. president

holding such a high political office, certainly had several political detractors and others

who viewed him unfavorably—all of which are somewhat difficult to disentangle from

the actual case itself. When President Bill Clinton was brought into a court of law to

explain his relationship with Monica Lewinsky, the issues involved were unclear. Even at

this top level of government, sexual harassment somehow became entangled with what

became known as Clinton's self-defense, or apologia. Clinton overcame the Lewinsky

scandal by employing a graduated apologia (Van Herzele, A., & Aarts, 2019). This type

of rhetorical strategy was not very well-known among the public, so in many ways, his

approach was almost a form of trickery to the American people and politics in general.

However, it occurred, and these situations will likely occur again in the legal system. So,

when dealing with sexual harassment, as it has been developing over the past several

decades, one will require awareness and reasonable legal representation.

However, it was imperative to acknowledge the widespread and influential effects

of the case as it pertained to power relations; sexual harassment, where perhaps the

advances of a person in a higher position will take advantage of their position for

personal gain; and several other critical issues involved with how sexual harassment

cases have evolved since that period nearly thirty years ago. As observed by Ford and

Ivanec (2020), sexual harassment in the workplace is complicated by the intersection

between several factors - power relations, race, gender, organizational hierarchy, and the

need to maintain one's job and income. Thus, although a general assumption is commonly

made that sexual harassment is inherently about sexual desire, the behavior often

attempts to dominate the victim and exercise power over others. For some reviewers, the

topic may seem different than sexual harassment per se because the young woman

appeared to have been a consensual player in the relationship. Nevertheless, was she?

These questions are challenging to determine or understand, even in a court of law where

the different legal aspects of the case are considered objectively.

Sometimes, this was very difficult to achieve—viewing the topic of sexual

harassment objectively. For example, research studies show a high prevalence of

harassment within colleges and universities known as academia. As observed by Clancy

et al. (2020), rather than meeting the expectation that academia should inspire change and

lead other organizations, academia instead has the highest rate of sexual harassment

events after the military. Both men and women are known to have been targets for some

of these sexual harassment incidents, as several recent studies have shown (Kinsgley,

2021). In academia, for example, men experience sexual harassment, although at slightly

lower rates than women (Clancy et al., 2020; Vargas et al., 2020).

Attitudes and Perceptions

This area of study has a crucial role in understanding how a culture of safety that

includes keeping sexual harassment at bay in the workplace also provides similar

protection in other social settings as well as in the organizations where work takes place

(Banerjee & Kankaria, 2022; Clair et al., 2019; Clancy et al., 2020; Ford & Ivancic,

2020). Shi and Zheng (2020) found that attitudes associated with gender roles are often

associated with a higher degree of tolerance for sexual harassment. The researchers

further noted that these attitudes can be both explicit and implicit. For instance, an

attitude that is hostile towards women and one that is paternalistic differ in context while

sharing a similar influence on sexual harassment tolerance. The exhibition of these

attitudes, according to Shi and Zheng (2020), impact the perceptions of the organizational

culture and elements of safety to include protections from retaliation for reporting.

According to Hershcovis et al. (2021), when reports are not made and leadership fails to

address sexual harassment, the victims perceive the harasser as untouchable and their

plight for safety as insurmountable. In this relationship between attitudes and perceptions,

the research demonstrates that high tolerance for sexual harassment impacts the

perception of safety. These perceptions could hinder the willingness of victims to come

forward and increase the likeliness of retaliation for those who report sexual harassment.

Social Change Implications

The topic of sexual harassment emphasized the importance of social change as it

was currently developing. The main reason why this vice is not ending is that there is a

silent culture toward reporting sexual harassment incidents in the workplace (Jamil, 2020;

Starkey et al., 2019). This research discussed some possible reasons and explained what

may be behind this development of a silent culture as perceived by the two primary

genders. Afterward, the study recommended new measures that policymakers at the

workplace could implement to stop this vice. Additionally, legal precedents that have

taken place throughout history were reviewed and analyzed to highlight some of the

significant areas of focus over the years (Bernstein, 2019; Barron, 2019; Blumell &

Mulupi, 2021). If the workplaces were safe from sexual harassment, the community

would also be safe as it is hard for the perpetrators of this vice to continue the vice in

their homes when it has been tackled at the workplace. This area of study had a crucial

role in understanding how a culture of safety that includes keeping sexual harassment

under control in the workplace also provided similar protection in other social settings as

well as in the organizations where work takes place (Banerjee & Kankaria, 2022; Clair et

al., 2019; Clancy et al., 2020; Ford & Ivancic, 2020). The study also demystified the

topic of sexual harassment in the workplace while creating awareness about the problem

simultaneously.

Gender Role and the Workplace

Gender roles play a critical role in the pervasiveness of the issue, and gender

differences exist in the reporting data (Crenshaw, 2019). These facts provide

opportunities for further research concerning gender roles and sexual harassment in the

workplace. However, the factors that influence the decision to report or not to report

sexual harassment in the workplace are a crucial focus of this study. The literature review

pointed to a significant gap in understanding, especially from the perspective of the

person experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace. Additionally, sexual harassment

victims were mainly traumatized by the vice, and they could not find the courage to relive

their experience through acts such as narrating them. Thus, it was often most challenging

to discuss the issues involved in certain research studies that would possibly make it more

difficult to find resolutions. If the workplaces are safe from sexual harassment, the

community will also be safe as it is hard for the perpetrators of this vice to continue the

vice in their homes when it has been tackled at the workplace.

Review and Analysis

Sexual harassment in the workplace has been an ongoing issue in many

organizations and at various levels of the businesses where these issues occur. Sexual

harassment of various types is prevalent nearly everywhere on some level. This is not to

say that sexual harassment is accepted—by no means. Instead, how sexual harassment

has been addressed in societies around the globe highlights current trends that suggest it

is entirely unacceptable and inappropriate in the workplace. Investigating the lived

experiences of employees who experience sexual harassment in the workplace, the

factors that influenced their decisions to report or not report the event, and how they

perceive their work environment after reporting such events will contribute critical

information to inform the best practices for reducing the incidence of this issue and

preventing the problem in the workplace. This study was particularly critical, given that

evidence suggests that current practices to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace

have proved futile or ineffective (Kahsay et al., 2020; Levinson, 2019; Rihal et al., 2020;

Studzińska, 2019).

This issue has a predominant role even in medical and scientific organizations,

where there is more of a professional tone among the group in workplace settings (Vargas

et al., 2020; World Health Organization, 2019). Hundreds of studies point in this

direction, albeit with the hope and the promise that the issues involved were coming more

to the forefront of public awareness and legal recourse for such types of concerns (Mallett

et al., 2021; Wasti et al., 2020; Whitley, 2022). However, studies have shown that many

times, an incident of sexual harassment goes unreported. There are various reasons for

this type of situation, explored from multiple perspectives in this research essay. First, it

was essential to understand as much as possible why an employee who has been sexually

harassed may not report such an incident. This topic was thoroughly discussed and

analyzed in the literature review section of the paper to ascertain specific patterns and

trends that arose in the current research literature. This research essay addressed these

issues of sexual harassment in the workplace in a comprehensive, all-inclusive manner.

Sexual harassment in the workplace is a never-ending problem that has not gotten a

lasting solution. This research tried to give new solutions to this problem by investigating

the current gaps in sexual analysis in the workplace literature.

One of the main points to acknowledge and focus on is that sexual harassment is a

continuing, unwanted sexual attention where the one who is experiencing the harassment

has made it clear to the perpetrator that he or she is not interested and has set the

boundaries in such a way that there should be no mistake about it. Sexual harassment

consists of behaviors often recognized as harassing including repeated attempts to

establish a romantic relationship after the refusal, undesired touching, and sexual

imposition (O'Hare & O'Donohue, 1998). For these reasons, safety issues come into focus

as a genuine possibility. According to some recent research studies on the topic of sexual

harassment, public sexual harassment is a severe disruption of the safety culture that

should be provided in a workplace setting; contested gendered space is a vital issue that

will require steps towards sociolegal innovation as the 21st century progresses (Vera-

Gray & Kelly, 2020; Vidu et al., 2022). Pioneer legislation on the second order of sexual

harassment is currently being conducted in some research studies. It is a crucial area of

the law and within the social culture of the workplace that will have many different legal

implications in future business organizations.

Movements such as the #MeToo movement were especially central to how sexual

harassment is currently being discussed and how to proactively change situations towards

a more positive focus in order to be successful in business organizations overall (Baum,

2019; Bissell et al., 2021; Braileanu et al., 2021). The topic continues to hold a good deal

of promise and hope in terms of feminist equality in the workplace, especially as these

types of issues pertain to sociolegal innovations (Aggarwal & Brenner, 2020; Anierobi et

al., 2021; Banerjee & Kankaria, 2022). However, there are still many unusual or less

discussed types of sexual harassment to consider within this comprehensive analysis

framework. As many recent studies have revealed, sexual harassment is a prevalent

concern among many organizations—not only in the workplace but also in an academic

setting where students and teachers work together, and the teacher may be considered an

authority figure. This type of relationship sets up a particular type of power relation,

which, unfortunately, the teacher may take advantage of. According to the studies,

women and girls are frequently victims of these situations that can accurately be

categorized as sexual harassment (Fitzgerald & Cortina, 2018). The listed articles

discussed throughout this literature review section were predominant issues within the

framework of sexual harassment. As previously delineated, the keywords searched were

sexual harassment, sexual harassment at the workplace, sexual discrimination, the law

governing the workplace, and the impact of sexual harassment. In brief, they covered the

following essential topics throughout this research study. In order to achieve a complete

understanding of how sexual harassment may develop in the workplace, these different

categories were also considered. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on

Violence Against Women (OVW), sexual assault as it pertains to sexual harassment may

be defined as a nonconsensual sexual act proscribed, regardless of the victim’s ability to

consent (U.S. DOJ, OVW2018). Sexual assault may sound far more severe than sexual

harassment, although the two terms are related more frequently than expected.

A somewhat subtle form of legal discussion is essential in interpreting and using

the various legal definitions within the court systems. Thus, "while sexual assault is a

criminal offense, the law also recognizes sexual harassment as a form of employment

discrimination" (Shaw et al., 2018, p. 1). Since the issues that may evolve in the

workplace when sexual harassment is present are severe—that is, they are likely to

interfere substantially with the person's job in myriad ways—such issues are complex

indeed. They are not easily met in the workplace or discussed within the framework of

one's place of employment. Nevertheless, they will need to be addressed at some level of

the business organization's structure due to the legal aspects of the situation.

For these complex reasons, various explanations, definitions, and terms related to

sexual harassment in the workplace have been developed over the years. These

developments minimize the possibility of confusion should a case of sexual harassment

arise in the courts or the employment offices of law and occupational safety. According

to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the official position

states that unwelcome sexual advances or other forms of verbal or physical behaviors

related to sex can be defined as sexual harassment if the behaviors explicitly or implicitly

interferes with the working environment (U.S. EEOC, 2018a).

In many of the significant definitions of sexual harassment, a couple of critical

points were quite essential to understand from the outset of the discussion. Sexual

harassment refers to unwanted sexual or otherwise suggestive remarks and possible

physical contact in a social or workplace setting (Tenbrunsel et al., 2019; Theriault,

2020). For a more formal definition that may be consulted as a general organization of

understanding, the following is an excellent one: Sexual harassment is behavior that

derogates, demeans, or humiliates an individual based on that individual's sex which may

involve sexual force and degradation, sexist materials, comments, and jokes, or other acts

experienced by an individual (Galdi & Guizzo, 2021). Due to the unique clarification of

several associated issues that these authors provide, it was evident that sexual harassment

was quite complex. It is much more than just a brief flirtation at the water cooler between

an overtly interested male and one of the female employees. Instead, sexual harassment

also tinges upon the subject of demeaning and making the person feel uncomfortable,

harassed in general, and a fundamental disruption in the workplace setting, which can

escalate over time and continue to be a severe problem overall. These definitions have

been in place for some years; the general public understands them well, and they are also

clearly recognized in courts of law. For this reason, it was essential to acknowledge the

academic research conducted on sexual harassment during previous decades, especially

around the new millennium milestone around 2000.

Direction of the Research in Contemporary Times

In the 21st century, the issues involved with sexual harassment in the workplace

continue to evolve. They are beginning to have some critical legal implications not

addressed previously. However, this topic has become more prominent among research

scholars by adding existing research literature from twenty years back (Reynolds, 2021;

Robson, 2020). Nevertheless, despite the discussions among these academic professionals

and others, little progress has been made in moving forward when the subject is sexual

harassment. "Gender harassment involves behaviors that generally convey hostile and

degrading attitudes about women, such as gender-based hazing" (O'Hare & O'Donohue,

1998, p. 562). It is a grave issue that, in many circles, has not gained much attention,

which causes various psychological side issues as well.

Summary and Conclusions

The literature reviewed by this study found that researchers have investigated this

problem by focusing on prevention, laws governing workplace practices, and employee

satisfaction (Block & Whitehead, 2019; Conte, 2019; Griffith & Medeiros, 2020; World

Health Organization, 2019). None of the studies reviewed examined the factors that

influenced the decision to report or not to report an incidence of sexual harassment in the

workplace, representing a gap in the literature. My research study filled this gap by

contributing insights and knowledge on how employees experience sexual harassment

and the impact of its reporting on employees. The study had practical implications as

policymakers may use the information to improve programs designed to improve the

reporting of sexual harassment. The social change implications of the study include the

creation of public awareness regarding the problem, demystifying the topic, and

contributing information to inform and support measures to stop sexual harassment in the

workplace.

Sexual harassment is a disruptive situation in workplace settings, which, in most

cases, appears to impact women more frequently than men. Being the victim of sexual

harassment carries severe negative impacts for affected persons, including damaging the

individual's prospects for gaining employment, damaging prospects for advancing in their

careers and potentially attaining higher wages, as well as creating an offensive work

environment that hinders job enjoyment and performance (Mainwaring et al., 2023).

People who feel uncomfortable around someone making unwanted sexual comments and

advances feel harassed. They have not done anything to encourage such advances and are

disturbed by them. Thus, it was evident that sexual harassment is still a somewhat subtle

form of legal discussion. It continues to be essential in how the various legal definitions

are interpreted and used within the court systems. Thus, "while sexual assault is a

criminal offense, the law also recognizes sexual harassment as a form of employment

discrimination" (Shaw et al., 2018, p. 1). Since the issues that may evolve in the

workplace when sexual harassment is present are very serious—that is, they are likely to

interfere substantially with the person's job in myriad ways—such issues are complex

indeed. They are not easily met in the workplace or discussed within the framework of

one's place of employment. Nevertheless, they will need to be addressed at some level of

the business organization's structure due to the legal aspects of the situation.

For these complex reasons, various explanations, definitions, and terms related to

sexual harassment in the workplace have been developed over the years. O'Hare and

O'Donohue (1998) identified three types of sexual harassment - ender harassment,

unwanted sexual attention, and sexual coercion. Each of these categories of sexual

harassment consists of verbal and nonverbal behaviors. From a legal perspective, it is a

violation of codes and ethical laws that will be supported through the courts, as the

following excerpt shows: "Sexual harassment constitutes illegal sex discrimination under

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which the EEOC enforces" (Shaw et al., 2018,

p. 1). These developments are significant regarding court cases that may arise over issues

likely to occur in workplace settings. They minimize the possibility of confusion or

misconstrued intentions should a case of sexual harassment arise in the courts or the

employment offices of law and occupational safety (Aguilar & Baek, 2020; Hastie,

2021).

In the official position of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

(EEOC), sexual harassment is constituted by request for sexual favors, unwelcome sexual

advances, and other types of verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature, conduct

that explicitly or implicitly impact an individual's employment, interferes with their work

performance unreasonably, or creates a hostile, intimidating, or offensive work

environment (U.S. EEOC 2018a).

In conclusion, this research study was a comprehensive review and analysis of

sexual harassment by focusing on gender roles. The approach showed the notable

patterns and trends associated with sexual harassment as it developed over several

decades. In the literature review section of the study, over 150 academic research articles

were reviewed at some level of understanding, highlighting how the various trends had

developed in business organizations. Additionally, it was essential to understand and

acknowledge gender roles as the place of sexual harassment in terms of how these issues

were reported or, in most cases, swept aside as if they had not occurred. Chapter 3

presents the detailed methods employed to establish this understanding and contribute to

the body of knowledge.

Chapter 3: Research Method

Introduction

In this study, I explored the lived experiences of employees who have

experienced sexual harassment in the workplace to determine the factors that influenced

the decision to report or not to report the incident. My goal was to understand the lived

experiences of those who reported the incidences of sexual harassment within the

working environment to determine the extent, if any, the victims experienced retaliation.

The findings offer knowledge and insights to help initiatives targeted at enhancing the

reporting of workplace sexual harassment and its eventual abolition. These findings show

the gaps between policy and practice that affect reporting decisions and experiences of

those who choose to report occurrences of sexual harassment. I answered the following

research questions in this study:

Research Question 1: What factors are perceived as those influencing the

decision of workers to report or not report sexual harassment in the workplace?

Research Question 2: How do those who report sexual harassment perceive the

lived experience of their work environment after the event?

Chapter 3 includes a presentation of the methodology employed when carrying

out the study. The chapter is organized into the following main sections. Firstly, the

research design and rationale are presented to include the justification of the qualitative

research tradition. Next, the role of the researcher is presented to include practices to

ensure ethical research that is free from research bias. The process of recruitment, data

collection, and data analysis are then presented followed by issues of trustworthiness.

Finally, the chapter concludes with a summary of the methods employed in this study. By

presenting these details, the selected qualitative approach is justified as appropriate for

this study and the findings are supported.

Research Design and Rationale

I addressed the following two questions, which I designed to explore the lived

experiences of employees who have been victims of sexual harassment in the workplace:

Research Question 1: What factors are perceived as those influencing the decision

of workers to report or not report sexual harassment in the workplace?

Research Question 2: How do those who report sexual harassment perceive the

lived experience of their work environment after the event?

I focused on the issue of reporting sexual harassment in the workplace and the

lived experiences of those who report sexual harassment. For this study, sexual

harassment was defined based on the EEOC's position statement as requesting sexual

favors, unwelcome sexual advances, and other actions constituting harassment that are

sexual. The emphasis placed on the perception of factors in the first research question

was justified through the understanding that attitudes impact the perceived culture of

safety. By evaluating these perceptions for both those who did and those who did not

report, it was possible to align this understanding of perceptions in practice. In the second

research question, it was important to establish the lived experiences of these participants

without suggesting that these experiences were either positive or negative. Thus, the

semistructured interviews were appropriate for allowing the participants’ voice to be

heard in the findings.

I used a qualitative design approach for this study. A qualitative research tradition

is a naturalistic approach to research that allows the exploration of the phenomena of

interest in their natural environments (Denny & Weckesser, 2022; Wang, 2021).

Qualitative research is inductive and focuses on discovering social phenomena using

qualitative data such as emotions, words, perceptions, and pictures (Szekeres et al.,

2020). Qualitative researchers, thus, will seek to gain in-depth insights regarding research

phenomena using rich and nuanced qualitative data, which are, in turn, analyzed using

suitable subjective techniques such as content analysis, descriptive analysis, narrative

analysis, and thematic analysis (Queirós et al., 2017).

The study was based on the interpretive paradigm. The main assumptions under

this research paradigm are that reality is socially constructed, and that theory should be

developed from data collected through research (Kankam, 2019). Researchers who apply

the interpretive paradigm in their work attempt to understand people's experiences and

events by interpreting the experiences of the research subjects regarding phenomena

based on their thoughts, perceptions, and the meanings that they ascribe to the event and

its contexts (Sim & Waterfield, 2019).

I chose a qualitative approach in this study to provide participants with the

opportunity to freely express and discuss their ideas and interpretations of the subject.

This opportunity was met most effectively by using open-ended interview questions,

which are the design objectives of a qualitative research study. The qualitative design is

characterized by a detailed description of the research phenomenon, making it very

suitable for exploring social processes and the lived experiences of people (Stenfors et

al., 2020). Qualitative designs provide well-grounded descriptions of research events in

their local contexts, thus providing insight that numbers would not offer alone. Therefore,

the qualitative design was appropriate for exploring and understanding the experiences of

workers who have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace.

By contrast, quantitative research designs focus on measuring cause and effect

relationships using quantifiable data, which are, in turn, analyzed using computational or

statistical/mathematical techniques. Quantitative research designs focus on hypothesis

testing and attempt to distill generalizations from a sample to a larger population

(Stenfors et al., 2020). Because I focused on understanding factors that influenced

decision-making regarding reporting sexual harassment in the workplace, the quantitative

approach was not be a suitable design.

I chose a phenomenological design for this study after excluding other designs

such as ethnography (ethnography focuses on investigating the shared cultural

occurrences within a group of people across an extended period (see Creswell &

Guetterman, 2019), the narrative design (this design explores personal stories and retells

it), and the grounded approach (which seeks to understand and develop a theory about a

phenomenon of interest; see Gronmo, 2019). Phenomenology is used to understand how

people make sense of their lives and encounters (Gronmo, 2019). I used this design to

explore the lived, firsthand experiences of employees regarding sexual harassment and its

reporting in the workplace and to gain their perspectives on why they choose to report or

not and how they experienced the workplace after reporting sexual harassment.

Role of the Researcher

In my investigation of workplace sexual harassment, I employed a qualitative

phenomenology design. With this design, I explored factors influencing the decisions of

employees who have experienced workplace sexual harassment, examining both their

choices to report or not report such incidents. For this study, I ensured that all ethical and

legal requirements were met and that the study followed the approved proposal

guidelines. As the primary researcher, I ensured that all steps in the methodology were

executed accurately and successfully to achieve the required research outcomes.

In terms of quality, qualitative studies are very subjective processes and may be

influenced by researcher bias or bias from the research participants. I addressed this

possibility through several processes. First, I was engaged in reflexivity throughout the

study (examination of one's assumptions regarding the topic and their implications for the

research findings). I maintained a reflexive journal to record such reflective views to help

me distinguish my thoughts and avoid allowing such opinions to influence the data

obtained from the study. To ensure that the study was conducted without bias or ethical

concerns, I regularly reviewed my reflexive journal and communicated with my

dissertation committee members. Although the reflexive journalling helps the researcher

to identify potential areas of bias, using additional resources such as the dissertation

committee members provides multiple perspectives and a greater chance of identifying

any issues during the process.

As I investigated the lived experiences of the participants, I was responsible for

developing interview questions that would provide insight into the research questions.

However, it was important that the interview questions did not direct or influence the

participants’ responses. I used the semistructured interview approach to stay on topic

while providing the participants with the opportunity to include their perspectives without

influence. The data collection and analysis processes were done as rigorously as possible.

To prevent data loss, interviews were recorded using an audio recording device and

Zoom videoconference. In the data analysis, it was important to review the interviews

multiple times to ensure that the subjective interpretations reflected the participants’

intended message.

My role and responsibilities as the primary researcher were clearly outlined in the

informed consent form. The consent form also outlined participants' roles to prevent

confusion regarding roles and expected behavior. No financial incentives were used in

the study. There were no personal and professional relationships between me and the

participants. There were no conflicts of interest for the study because I had sole

responsibility, including funding.

Ethical Concerns

The data collection stage involved the use of a researcher-developed interview

guide that was used to conduct Zoom video or phone interviews based on the preference

of the participant. The interviews were recorded after getting consent from the

respondents (see Peled-Raz et al., 2021). When the participant expressed a willingness to

reveal their identity, a video camera via Zoom was used to record the interview. The

population for this research study was the employees who have been victims of sexual

harassment at organizations based on convenience sampling results of volunteer

employees drawn from all sectors of the American workforce.

To ensure relevance of these experiences, the following operational definition of

sexual harassment was presented during the recruitment process:

Such harassment may include unwelcome verbal, visual, nonverbal, or

physical conduct that is sexual or based on someone's sex. Case law has

established that to meet the legal standards for action, workplace

harassment must be 'severe or pervasive' and affect working conditions.

(U.S. EEOC 2018b)

After convenience sampling was done and the population was drawn out,

stratified sampling was done so that the study could be undertaken on an equal number of

male and female employees (see Peled-Raz et al., 2021). The recording tool that I used

was an audio recorder (Otter.ai).

Methodology

The data analysis approach I used in this study was concept analysis and theme

coding (see Trochim, 2020). Text analysis was carried out to filter and separate vital

research information (Walden University, Center for Research Quality, 2022). Afterward,

the concept analysis was undertaken, and the concepts that stood out from the interviews

were picked. This process went along with the thematic coding of the filtered interview

research, where the various themes that stood out and accounted for the phenomenon

under investigation were itemized. The type of data that were collected for this research

study were nominal data, including words, letters, and symbols. Perception data about

why specific gender reports or does not report sexual harassment incidents at the

workplace was a significant area of research collected as the study progressed. Nominal

data of reported sexual harassment cases were also collected as an essential way to

inform researchers on the outcome of the various gender perspectives on reporting sexual

harassment at the workplace. Primary data were collected through phone and Zoom video

interviews. The perceptions guiding the employee views on sexual harassment reporting

were collected at this stage. The secondary data involved the collection of nominal data

on the reported sexual harassment cases from the institutions whose employees

volunteered to take part in this research study. No database tracks these report cases, and

access was gained by getting consent from the sampled organizations.

Participant Selection Logic

The population for the study was workers from business organizations for which

the law against sexual discrimination were applicable. The EEOC identifies organizations

under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as organizations with 15 or more

employees, employment agencies, labor organizations, and federal, state, and local

governments.

Sampling Strategy

A sampling strategy is the procedure through which a desired number of elements

(the sample) is drawn from the population. Sampling strategies may be random (for

quantitative studies) or non-random (for qualitative studies; Cucari, 2019). Accordingly, I

used a non-random sampling strategy for this study. The sample was drawn using

convenience sampling. I recruited via LinkedIn for volunteers for the study.

Criterion for Participant Selection

The inclusion criteria for the study were (a) age 18 years or older, (b) be an

employee of an organization with established HR policies and reporting procedures, (c)

was a victim of sexual harassment within the workplace, and (d) reported the incident,

which was investigated and resolved by the organization. Exclusion criteria included

persons who are under the age of 18, persons not employed at organizations with

established HR policies and reporting procedures, persons who have not been a victim of

sexual harassment in the workplace, and persons who did not report the incident, nor was

it investigated or resolved by the organization.

Sample Size

The sample size for the study was 12. If the sample size is too large, the data

would be unmanageable, and if it is too small, it may not yield sufficient data to answer

the research questions. According to scholars, a sample size of N>30 is suitable for

qualitative studies (Boddy, 2016; Rijnsoever, 2017). Some scholars hold that for research

that is based on interviews, data saturation can be achieved with a sample size as small as

6 (Malterud et al., 2015). Therefore, a sample size of 12 was selected to allow for

sufficient data collection for this study without the data becoming unmanageable.

Relationship Between Saturation and Sample Size

In quantitative studies, sample size is calculated using power analysis (Bell et al.,

2022; Malterud et al., 2015). However, in qualitative studies such as this, sample size is

based on estimations of data saturation or the principle that the sample be large enough to

provide sufficient data to achieve research goals (Malterud et al., 2015). Saturation

involves reaching a point where no further codes can be identified in the data. Saturation,

thus, cannot be used in estimating sample sizes before data has been collected, but it can

be invoked as a criterion to justify using small sample sizes (Boddy, 2016; Gronmo,

2019).

Participant Recruitment

Permission was sought from employees for this study. A brief description of the

study was provided in the flyer, including its purpose and inclusion criteria. The flyer

contained my contact information. Interested people willing to volunteer for the study

were asked to contact me. Interested persons who contacted me received a detailed

research information sheet known as a consent form, which they must consent to and

return to me to be enrolled in the study. Only persons who gave consent via email were

recruited into the study. (See Appendix A for Recruitment Flyer).

Research Participants

In qualitative research, many ethical issues might arise, especially concerning

access to the target audience, access to the required data, confidentiality, and privacy that

may impact the feasibility of the proposed design (Simon, 2011). The research topic was

sensitive as it involves private traumatic experiences. Sexual harassment victims are

mostly traumatized by the vice, and they cannot find the courage to relive their

experience through acts such as narrating them. It was, therefore, imperative that if a

participant agrees to participate in my research, their identity was guarded to ensure that

their narratives will not only be used for the intended purposes (Walden University,

Center for Research Quality, 2022). Participants consisted of 12 adults aged 18 and over

who feel they have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace of any business

organization in the United States. These participants were recruited through professional

social network ad (LinkedIn). Once selected, participants were notified via email and

gave consent for either a Zoom or phone interview to take place. Once the interview was

scheduled, participants were interviewed via Zoom or phone in the privacy area they

prefer and feel comfortable.

Instrumentation

The confidentiality and privacy of the research participants was a big issue in my

qualitative research. I strictly followed the IRB ethical guidelines to guarantee my

research participants' confidentiality and privacy (Peled-Raz et al., 2021). Access to

organizational data that included reported sexual harassment cases would also be a

significant challenge in this research study as there are no public or private database.

Interviews were conducted via Zoom or telephone and audio recorded.

Data Collection Instrument

The data collection tool used in this study was an interview protocol developed by

the researcher for this study. The protocol was developed based on research questions,

literature, and data published on the research subject by professional groups. The

interview protocol was submitted to an expert from the researcher's institution for review

to establish the sufficiency of the interview protocol to answer the research questions.

Comments and suggestions made by the professor in the expert review process were

applied to the final interview protocol located within the consent form. Interviews were

then recorded and transcribed using Otter.ai software. According to Gaber et al. (2020), a

recent study of nine speech to text applications revealed that only three, Otter AI, IBM’s

Watson Beta, SpeechPal, effectively transcribe with accurate punctuation. Among these,

Otter AI was determined to be the most accurate (Gaber et al., 2020). Thus, the decision

to utilize this tool was determined by empirical validation.

Procedures for Recruitment, Participation, and Data Collection

Semi-structured interviews were conducted in this study. The four main interview

formats are structured, open-ended/unstructured, semi-structured, and focus group

interviews (Johnson, 2020). Structured interviews are rigid and are characterized by

limited freedom for the researcher and participants; unstructured interviews allow the

researcher and participants freedom in exploring issues and following up on questions.

Semi-structured interviews merge both formats such that the researcher and participants

can explore issues or discuss related issues around the research question while focusing

on the pre-determined questions in the interview guide (Stenfors et al., 2020).

The interviews were conducted using videoconferencing technology (Zoom). The

interviews were conducted over the phone for participants who are uncomfortable with

the software. The interviews were all audio-recorded electronically using Otter.ai

software with the permission of the participants. Upon completing the interviews, the

participants were informed that they would be free to call the researcher anytime to

provide more information. They were also told to expect two more contacts from the

researcher. The first contact was a member-checking process in which copies of the

transcripts of their respective interviews were given to the participants to allow them to

verify that their experiences and perceptions were truthfully captured in the data. The

second contact was a phone call to thank them for participating and contributing to the

study. A digital thank you card was also emailed to the participants.

Data Analysis Plan

The data analysis plan in a qualitative research study must be somewhat flexible

and open-ended due to several essential areas. For example, organizations will need to

consent to access the data legally. In many significant definitions of sexual harassment, a

couple of crucial points were essential to understand from the outset of the discussion.

Sexual harassment refers to unwanted sexual or otherwise suggestive remarks and

possible physical contact in a social or workplace setting (Tenbrunsel et al., 2019;

Theriault, 2020). For a more formal definition that may be consulted as a general

organization of understanding, the following is an excellent one: Sexual harassment is

behavior that derogates, demeans, or humiliates an individual based on that individual's

sex which may involve sexual force and degradation, sexist materials, comments, and

jokes, or other acts experienced by an individual (Galdi & Guizzo, 2021). Due to the

clarification of some associated issues that these authors provide, it became evident that

sexual harassment may be complex. It is much more than just a brief flirtation at the

water cooler between an overtly interested male and one of the female employees.

The goal of data analysis was to identify factors that influenced the decision to

report or not to report sexual harassment in the data, as well as elicit how participants

perceived their workplace after reporting incidents of sexual harassment based on the

data. Towards this goal, data collected from the interviews was analyzed using thematic

analysis, which is described in the literature as "a method of identifying, analyzing, and

reporting patterns (themes) within data" (Castleberry & Nolen, 2018, p.808). Thematic

analysis in this study was done using the six-step framework proffered by Kiger and

Varpio (2020).

Step 1: Familiarization with Data

The first step in the thematic analysis framework involves active and repeated

reading of the transcripts to become familiar with the data (Kiger & Varpio, 2020). I

actively read the interview transcripts to gain familiarity with the data. I took notes

during the interviews to help me note salient facts in the data. In addition, I gained an

understanding of the data through the transcription process as I listened to the recorded

data repeatedly.

Step 2: Generation of Codes

Codes are information segments regarding the research topic that can be harvested

from the raw data. They are created by identifying items of interest and information units

within the data (Kiger & Varpio, 2020). A coding framework was developed for this

study, and the codes were created to fit logically within that framework. The coding

framework was inductive as it was based on pertinent issues and ideas identified in the

data. The coding process was done using Microsoft Excel. According to Giesen and

Roeser (2020), Microsoft Excel provides a unique platform for strategically creating a

codebook for qualitative research by inputting code conceptualizations and the source or

interview questions. The formatting allows for revisions necessary through reflexive

assessments, creating a living document as an element of the analysis process (Giesen &

Roeser, 2020).

Step 3: Searching for Themes

The third step in the thematic analysis framework was to look for potential themes

in the inventory of codes (Kiger & Varpio, 2020). Themes are patterns of data and

meaning formed by a combination of various codes (Castleberry & Nolen, 2018). Theme

identification is an interpretive process in which codes are compared, combined, and

mapped based on their relationship. Like the coding process, theming can be an inductive

process in which themes are derived from the codes or a deductive process where pre-

defined themes are identified from the theoretical frameworks (Kiger & Varpio, 2020).

For this study, the theming was done inductively, as the themes were created from the

codes, further justifying the use of Microsoft Excel as an editable tool in data analysis as

indicated by Giesen and Roeser (2020). Furthermore, a thematic chart showed the

interaction between the themes and sub-themes identified in the data.

Step 4: Review of Identified Themes

This step involved a two-level analysis. The first level of the review process

included reviewing the fit between the codes and themes to ensure a proper fit which

were identified as Issues. The second level of analysis involved assessing the themes

concerning the whole data set to ensure that the theme fits meaningfully into the data.

(Kiger & Varpio, 2020).

Step 5: Definition of Themes

After reviewing the themes, a narrative description of respective themes was

created that explains how the themes align with the research question. The narrative

showed how the codes converge to produce themes and identify sub-themes within the

data (Kiger & Varpio, 2020). Discrepant codes or themes were scrutinized to understand

their relationship to the research topic, if any, and the findings included in the final

research report.

Step 6: Report Development

The last step in the thematic analysis framework involved creating a report of the

analysis and its findings. This report contained a narrative account of how the data were

analyzed and an interpretation of findings using narrative descriptions supported by

representative data facets or direct quotes from the raw data (Kiger & Varpio, 2020).

Issues of Trustworthiness

Sexual harassment also tinges upon the subject of demeaning and making the

person feel uncomfortable, harassed in general, and a fundamental disruption in the

workplace setting, which can escalate over time and continue to be a severe problem

overall. "Sexual harassment constitutes illegal sex discrimination under Title VII of the

Civil Rights Act of 1964, which the EEOC enforces; (Shaw et al., 2018, p. 1). The

definitions have existed for several years; the general public understands them well and

recognizes them in law courts. For this reason, it is essential to acknowledge the critical

academic research conducted on sexual harassment during previous decades, especially

around the New Millennium milestone around 2000.

Sexual coercion is discussed as being one of the three different types of sexual

harassment that is likely to take place in the workplace setting. Sexual coercion is

considered or classified as one of the least expected yet most universally recognized

types of harassment, which involves either explicit or implied bribery and threats in

exchange for sexual cooperation (O'Hare & O'Donohue, 1998). It is this type of

classification of sexual harassment that perhaps may be the most confusing one of all—

or at least one that is completely misunderstood, especially as it pertains to the types of

power relations that may be established in such a relationship that made worldwide news

back in the 1990s when Monica Lewinsky and Bill Clinton's supposed relationship—or

affair—or perhaps simply a case of sexual coercion bribery and the like—it is still nearly

impossible to determine.

A relationship between two consenting adults is very different in the eyes of the

law than one that also includes various forms of coercion and other types of threats and

bribery (Reuter et al., 2020; Vera-Gray & Kelly, 2020). The Monica Lewinsky-Bill

Clinton case almost became a spectacle for the U.S. during the late 1990s when it was

being broadcast and reported all around the globe. Bill Clinton, the U.S. president

holding such a high political office, certainly had several political detractors and others

who viewed him unfavorably—all of which is somewhat difficult to disentangle from the

actual case itself. However, it is essential to acknowledge the widespread and influential

effects of the case as it pertains to power relations; sexual harassment, where perhaps the

advances of a person in a higher position will take advantage of their position for

personal gain; and several other critical issues involved with how sexual harassment

cases have evolved since that time nearly thirty years ago.

Sexual harassment in the workplace is particularly complex due to how power

relations intersect with gender, race, organizational hierarchy, and the desire to maintain

a job and income" (Ford & Ivancic, 2020, p. 187). For some viewers, the topic may seem

different than sexual harassment per se because the young woman appeared to have been

a consensual player in the relationship. However, was she? These questions are

challenging to determine or understand, even in a court of law where the different legal

aspects of the case are considered objectively. In qualitative studies, trustworthiness is

usually indicated through four quality indicators - credibility (which aligns with internal

validity in the positivist paradigm), confirmability (which aligns with objectivity in the

positivist paradigm), transferability (aligning with external validity in positive research),

and dependability (which aligns with reliability in the positivist paradigm) (Kankam,

2019; Rose & Johnson, 2020).

Credibility

This quality measure indicates the extent to which a study's data collection and

analysis processes are believable and authentic. Several processes were adopted to

establish credibility for this study, including member checks, triangulation, reflexivity,

expert review, and pilot testing of the interview protocol. For member checking, the

transcripts from the interviews were sent back to the participants to allow them to verify

the accuracy of the transcripts. Triangulation will involve using multiple sources of data

or information to comprehensively understand a research subject (Rose & Johnson, 2020;

Stenfors et al., 2020). Data triangulation was done using the literature and the raw data

collected from the study. Reflexivity involved self-scrutiny to examine one's beliefs to

see how they influence the selection of a research approach, research problem, and data

interpretation (Sim & Waterfield, 2019). I also maintained a process of reflexivity

throughout the research process, using a reflexive journal to note my assumptions

regarding the factors that influence decision-making concerning reporting or not

reporting sexual harassment at work. Expert review and pilot testing of the interview

protocol will also be done to establish its reliability.

Transferability

Transferability refers to using sufficient contextual data to enable other people to

relate the findings from the study to their contexts (Kankam, 2019). This study will

establish transferability using a thick description of research variables and a detailed

review of theoretical and empirical literature.

Dependability

Dependability is a quality measure that indicates that if the study is repeated

under similar conditions, the same outcomes will be obtained (Kankam, 2019; Rose &

Johnson, 2020). Qualitative studies are highly subjective, and contextual variables may

change in research settings. Thus, achieving the same outcomes in qualitative studies may

not be possible (Kankam, 2019), and alternative methods of establishing dependability

are required. For this study, dependability was established through triangulation of data,

use of well-defined research procedures, and careful documentation of research

procedures.

Confirmability

Confirmability describes the extent to which other scholars can confirm the study

findings. It emphasizes minimizing and eliminating personal bias from the findings

(Kankam, 2019; Rezapour Nasrabad, 2020). Confirmability was established using several

processes, including member checking, reflexivity, expert review of the interview

protocol, and data triangulation.

Ethical Procedures

Institutional approval for this study was obtained from the researcher's institution.

After obtaining this approval, permission was sought from the selected participants who

were employees of an organization for this study. The study commenced once these

agreements were achieved. Ethical research principles regarding the treatment of human

participants were followed for this study. The first principle in treating human subjects is

that no harm must come to participants due to their involvement in this study. This

principle was achieved by protecting participants' information and assuring the

confidentiality of all information provided by the participants. Information about sexual

harassment is difficult to talk about. For this reason, it was essential to ensure

participants' safety and confidentiality in this study. Personal identifying information will

not be collected from participants. Participants were determined using numbers in all

research documents. Information collected under the study was kept locked in a secure

file that only the researcher can access. However, the information would have been made

available to people who needed to see it - such as my research supervisor.

Participants were provided with complete information about the study before

participating, including risks and benefits associated with the study, participants' rights,

and the researcher's role. Participants were informed that they could withdraw from the

study at any time and for any reason without any penalties whatsoever, as participation in

the study was entirely voluntary. Only participants who signed a consent form were

enrolled in the study. After completion of the study, all the research materials, such as

interview transcripts, will be deleted from computer files, and paper copies shredded per

the policy of the researcher's institution. There were no conflicts of interest in the study. I

was solely responsible for the study, and no external funding sponsors existed. There was

no confusion about roles as the researcher, and participants were provided detailed oral

and written communication in the consent form.

Summary

Sexual harassment is a severe issue in business organizations of the 21st century.

In contemporary times, the issues involved with sexual harassment in the workplace are

complex and multi-faceted and have some important legal implications. However, studies

have shown that many times, an incident of sexual harassment goes unreported. There are

various reasons for this type of situation, which were explored from various perspectives

in this research essay. First, it was essential to understand as much as possible why an

employee who has been sexually harassed may not report such an incident. This topic

was thoroughly discussed and analyzed in the literature review section of the paper to

ascertain specific patterns and trends that have arisen in the current research literature.

Second, it was essential to gain an understanding of whether gender had a role in the

reporting of sexual harassment. This research essay addresses these issues on the topic of

sexual harassment in the workplace in a comprehensive, all-inclusive manner.

This chapter presented the detailed methodology used in conducting this study on

employee perspectives on reporting sexual harassment in the workplace. The study

explored the lived experiences of employees to determine the factors that influenced their

decisions to report or not to report sexual harassment in the workplace, as well as how

employees experienced the workplace after reporting such incidents. The study was based

on the interpretative paradigm. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews

conducted both over the phone and Zoom videoconferencing software. Data analysis

involved thematic analysis. Ethical procedures were strictly followed throughout the

research process, including protecting the rights of participants and assuring the

confidentiality of participants' information. The urgency to ensure participants' protection

was heightened by the nature of the research topic, as sexual harassment is a complex

topic to discuss for persons affected by the issue. The next chapter will present the

detailed findings from the study.

Chapter 4: Results

Introduction

The purpose of the study was to examine the experience of reporting sexual

harassment in the workplace and its impacts. I addressed those gaps, guided by two

research questions:

Research Question 1: What factors are perceived as those influencing the decision

of workers to report or not report sexual harassment in the workplace?

Research Question 2: How do those who report sexual harassment perceive the

lived experience of their work environment after the event?

I used a qualitative design for this study and collected data using semi-structured

interviews that provided participants with the opportunity to share their experiences. I

used thematic analysis to identify patterns and themes within the narratives. This process

included transcription, coding, and the organization of data into themes and subthemes.

Setting

I conducted this study using virtual platforms to ensure accessibility, convenience,

and confidentiality for participants. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews

conducted over Zoom or phone, based on participant preferences. These methods were

selected to accommodate participants’ comfort, as the sensitive nature of the study

required privacy and flexibility. Interviews were scheduled at times convenient for

participants, ensuring minimal disruption to their personal or professional commitments.

To further prioritize confidentiality, participants were encouraged to select a private

location for their interviews. All sessions were audio-recorded with explicit consent, and

transcription was completed using Otter.ai software. This dual-layer process ensured

accuracy in capturing participants’ narratives while maintaining a secure environment for

data handling. Participants were provided with information about the study and its

objectives, the processes in place to protect their anonymity and confidentiality, and

informed that they could withdraw at any time without penalty. All participants were

contacted to validate the accuracy of their responses. This process involved sharing a

summary of their transcripts, allowing them to clarify or expand on their statements.

Participants were also sent digital thank-you cards acknowledging their contribution. This

setting ensured the effective collection and documentation of data and adherence to

ethical approaches for research involving human subjects.

Data Collection

I located participants through convenience sampling by posting the recruitment

flyer to professional networks such as LinkedIn. Potential participants clicked the

LinkedIn flyer or link and emailed me to express interest. I sent the informed consent

form to potential participants, who emailed back stating, "I consent," along with their

preference for the interview method (Zoom or phone), alias, and proposed interview

schedule. I then contacted the participants to confirm and conduct the interview. Twelve

participants, eight women and four men, were included in the interviews, which took

place over a 2-week period ranging from December 27, 2024 - January 8, 2025. All

interviews took place in the evening time and late night to accommodate participants who

worked early mornings or afternoon shifts. Three interviews took place via Zoom video

conferencing whereas all others (nine interviews) took place via phone, and all were

recorded using Otter.ai software. Data collection concluded with twelve participants

when data saturation was achieved. Saturation was confirmed as no new themes or

insights emerged from the final interviews, a process that ensured the adequacy of the

sample size (Fusch & Ness, 2015). As part of the study’s ethical procedures, follow-up

communication confirmed the findings from each participant interview and their

wellbeing following the interview. Participants were also provided with an opportunity to

clarify or expand on responses. Afterwards, participants received digital thank-you cards

to acknowledge their contributions and remind them of the contact information if they

had any questions or comments. Thematic coding and analysis of content validated the

consistency and depth of the findings and alignment with the study’s research objectives.

Data Analysis

Overview

The major themes and subthemes identified through the thematic content analysis

of the participants’ narratives offer a structured understanding of the experiences in

reporting workplace sexual harassment, and the impacts of this experience. The thematic

coding process was grounded in a systematic approach. Data were transcribed and

reviewed extensively to ensure familiarity. I used inductive coding for the identification

of recurring patterns across participant narratives, which were subsequently organized

into categories and overarching themes. This iterative process emphasized consistency

with the research questions and maintained alignment with the study’s objectives.

Evidence of Trustworthiness

Overview

I took measures to ensure the trustworthiness of the study’s findings through

rigorous data collection, analysis, and validation processes. These steps reinforced the

reliability and authenticity of the results by aligning them with appropriate research

standards.

Credibility

All participants were provided with summaries of their interview transcripts to

confirm the accuracy of their narratives in a follow-up communication. Nine participants

replied with confirmation of the agreement. Three participants acknowledged receipt but

did not offer any specific confirmations. This step ensured that their experiences were

represented authentically (Nowell et al., 2017). Data results were compared with themes

derived from existing literature to validate the findings and highlight alignment with

broader research on workplace sexual harassment. I used the iterative thematic analysis

process for thorough familiarity with the data, enhancing the depth and authenticity of the

findings.

Transferability

Detailed accounts of participant experiences, organizational contexts, and cultural

factors are included in this study, and readers can assess the relevance of findings to other

settings. Participants represented diverse workplace environments, from traditional

corporate offices with established HR departments to technology startups with fluid

reporting structures. One participant from the education sector described a set chain of

command for reporting the incident, while a participant in the tech industry faced

reporting without the structure of a traditional HR team, illustrating how industry context

influenced reporting experiences.

Dependability

A comprehensive record of the research process was maintained, including data

collection instruments, raw data, coding decisions, and analytical memos. This ensures

that the study can be replicated or assessed for consistency. Each interview transcript was

analyzed using the same systematic process: initial coding within 48 hours of the

interview, secondary review after 24 hours, and final coding verification by the research

supervisor within one week. This consistent approach ensured reliability across all data

analysis.

Consistency was maintained throughout the study by:

• Using the same semi-structured interview protocol for all 12 participants

• Following identical transcription procedures for each interview

• Conducting member checks using the same process for all participants

• Maintaining consistent coding procedures across all transcripts

• Using the same thematic analysis approach throughout data analysis

• Documenting any deviations from established procedures with explanations

Confirmability

Thematic saturation was determined when no new themes emerged during the

final interviews, thus affirming the adequacy of the sample size and the reliability of the

data (see Fusch & Ness, 2015; Tight, 2024). Each interview was reviewed independently

and notated for primary and subthemes. To maintain objectivity, participant quotes were

used extensively to illustrate findings, minimizing researcher interpretation. To reduce

researcher biasness, the themes were independently validated with participant quotes and

a list of categories. Member checking was implemented through the participants’ review

of the transcript and coded quotations. While there were no outliers during this process,

resolution strategies were in place. Expert review of the interview protocol ensured

consistency for the interviews. The thematic coding framework was grounded in the data

itself, with all identified patterns and themes cross-checked against raw transcripts. I

practiced reflexivity and documented personal assumptions and biases to ensure they did

not influence the findings. For instance, when one participant, a female marketing

professional, stated, “…it made me realize how unprepared companies are to handle

sexual harassment unless it is a clear, cut and dried case of an old male supervisor hitting

on a pretty young thing,” I notated that this statement appeared blanket and seemed

derogatory. However, it was important to recognize that the purpose of the study was to

gain the participants’ perspective in their own voice. Data triangulation was not

implemented due to the single data collection method.

Results

Table 1

Overview of Results

Major Theme

Subthemes

Number of

Participants

Description

Relevance

Decision to

Report

- Fear of

retaliation

- Support from

Colleagues

- Organizational

trust

10/12

Factors

influencing

initial

reporting

decisions

This

theme

helped to

resolve

RQ1.

Reporting

Experience

- HR response

- -Process clarity

- Timeline issues

8/12

Experiences

during the

reporting

process

This

theme

helped to

resolve

RQ2.

Emotional and

Professional

Impact

- Perceptions of

professionalism

- Trust

- Judgement

9/12

Experiences

following

reporting

This

theme

helped to

resolve

RQ1 and

RQ2.

Major Theme

Subthemes

Number of

Participants

Description

Relevance

Organizational

Shortcomings

- Structural and

organizational

issues

- Accountability

- Policy

- Resistance to

change

11/12

This

theme

helped to

resolve

RQ1 and

RQ2.

The first theme, Decision to Report, included motivations, barriers, and contextual

factors that influenced participants’ decisions to report workplace sexual harassment,

which aligned with research question one. While most participants experienced

retaliation, two participants reported positive organizational responses, noting timely

mediation. Public humiliation and physical boundary violations frequently acted as

critical triggers that compelled participants to act. While emotional support from

colleagues or confidants was relevant in the decision-making processes for reporting,

seven participants noted that colleagues were either unsupportive or they did not feel

comfortable sharing with them prior to reporting. Notably, highlighted hope for

organizational accountability as a motivating factor. In contrast, fear of retaliation often

emerged as a powerful deterrent. Mistrust in HR’s ability to act impartially, concerns

about being perceived as overreacting, and structural challenges like power imbalances

were significant barriers to reporting. Participants described environments where the

power and influence of harassers further discouraged action, leaving many feeling that

their concerns would not be taken seriously.

Consequences after Reporting, which aligned with research question two,

emerged as the second theme, detailing the aftermath of participants’ decisions to report

harassment. Retaliation was a common experience, with seven participants describing

intentional exclusion, diminished responsibilities, and ostracism by colleagues. These

retaliatory behaviors created an isolating environment that compounded the emotional

toll of reporting. Additionally, participants noted an absence of follow-ups or counseling,

which further heightened feelings of abandonment. Organizations often failed to address

the harm caused by harassment or to support participants in reintegrating into their

workplace environments.

The third theme, Emotional and Professional Impact, which aligned with both

research questions, highlights the toll that harassment and the reporting process took on

participants. Nine described feelings of stress, anxiety, and a profound loss of confidence

in their professional abilities. The lack of organizational support amplified these

challenges, leaving participants feeling humiliated and powerless. Professionally,

participants reported diminished job satisfaction and questioned their future career

trajectories. Some ultimately chose to leave their positions, feeling that the experience

had irreparably damaged their sense of belonging in their chosen fields.

The fourth theme, Organizational Shortcomings, aligned with both research

questions to examine the structural and cultural failures that participants identified within

their organizations. Policy and accountability gaps were frequently noted, with

participants describing inconsistent enforcement of harassment policies and a lack of

consequences for influential individuals. Cultural resistance to change further

undermined efforts to create safe and inclusive work environments. Participants

expressed the perception that internal organizational needs were prioritized over

employee well-being, perpetuating systemic barriers to the feeling of safety and

protection from sexual harassment at work. The final theme, Recommendations for

Improvement, provides insights in relation to recommendations and proposed reforms

from the participants’ perspective. Several participants called for ongoing support,

including counseling services and proactive follow-ups, to address the emotional and

professional impacts of harassment.

Decision to Report

The Decision to Report theme explored motivations that influenced the decision

to report sexual harassment in the workplace. Participants identified several key factors

that motivated them to report harassment. Emotional triggers, such as moments of public

humiliation or boundary violations, often acted as decisive catalysts. One participant, a

female CEO assistant, recounted, "The final straw was when he made a comment in front

of other executives, implying I was ‘his right-hand woman in more ways than one.’

Everyone laughed, but I felt humiliated." For some, the support and encouragement of

trusted colleagues or confidants played a pivotal role in overcoming hesitation and

proceeding with formal complaints. A female educator that participated in the study

shared, "I talked to another teacher who had worked at my school before. She encouraged

me to report and confirmed that I wasn’t overreacting.” Additionally, participants

expressed hope that reporting would lead to organizational accountability and foster a

safer workplace environment. The female educator stated, "I thought filing a formal

complaint would create a record to prevent him from targeting others.”

While these factors provided impetus, participants’ decisions to report were rarely

straightforward. They were often preceded by a period of internal deliberation, during

which participants weighed the potential risks and benefits of coming forward. This

process underscores the emotional and psychological complexity of the decision to

report, particularly in environments where structural or cultural barriers exist.

Despite these motivating factors, participants encountered numerous barriers that

complicated their decision to report. Fear of retaliation emerged as a dominant concern,

with participants expressing apprehension about potential professional and social

consequences. Participants often voiced skepticism about the impartiality of reporting

processes, citing mistrust in HR departments and management willingness to fairly

address their concerns. Neither management nor colleagues were trusted to keep this

sensitive matter confidential.

Structural challenges, such as organizational hierarchies and the influence of

powerful harassers, further discouraged reporting. Many participants described feeling

powerless in the face of individuals who held significant authority within their

workplaces, reinforcing a sense of futility about seeking redress. Additionally,

participants’ concerns about being perceived as overly sensitive or exaggerating their

experiences added another layer of hesitation. "Would people think I was making it up or

just being sensitive?" a male participant asked. These cultural and interpersonal

dynamics often created an environment in which silence felt safer than speaking out. In

some cases, unclear reporting procedures left participants unsure of how to proceed and

contributed to delays. As a female delivery driver, despite a clear policy against sexual

harassment, "There’s no HR person you can just talk to—it’s just me and the app,"

Table 2

Excerpts from Participant Responses relating to the Decision to Report

EXCERPTS FROM PARTICIPANT

RESPONSES

ISSUE

"I didn’t go straight to HR. Instead, I

talked to my colleague. She had dealt

with HR before and seemed confident

that they would take it seriously." (P1)

"Yes, I talked to another teacher who

had worked at my school before. She

encouraged me to report and confirmed

that I wasn’t overreacting." (P12)

Support from colleagues or trusted

confidants

"The final straw was when he made a

comment in front of other executives,

implying I was ‘his right-hand woman

in more ways than one.’ Everyone

laughed, but I felt humiliated." (P5)

"I decided to report after he pressed his

erection into my hand while I was trying

to get down a ladder." (P9)

Moments of escalation or emotional

triggers, such as public humiliation or

physical boundary violations

"I reported it through the app’s system,

hoping they’d take action." (P4)

Hope for organizational accountability

and resolution

EXCERPTS FROM PARTICIPANT

RESPONSES

ISSUE

"I thought filing a formal complaint

would create a record to prevent him

from targeting others." (P12)

"I was scared of it continuing but scared

of retaliation. I just didn’t want to go to

work anymore." (P1)

"I was worried they’d deactivate my

account or something." (P4)

Fear of retaliation and negative

reputational consequences

"I didn’t trust management to keep it

confidential." (P1)

"The CEO told me it was just a

misunderstanding, which felt like they

were brushing it off." (P7)

Lack of confidence in HR or

management’s ability to act fairly

"He was the CEO, so who could I

trust?" (P5)

"She was senior to me, and I knew she

had influence in the company." (P3)

Influence or authority of the harasser

and organizational culture that protects

those in power

"At first, I thought the way he treated

me was just part of the job." (P2)

"I figured he would realize I didn’t like

it and stop." (P9)

"Would people think I was making it up

or just being sensitive?" (P1)

"I worried people would think, ‘What’s

the big deal?’ or that I was being weak."

(P3)

Self-blame or minimizing the

significance of the experience

Reporting Experience

The theme of "Reporting Experience" explores the dynamics of participants’

interactions with organizational reporting systems, shedding light on the systemic issues

and procedural challenges they encountered. Participants’ accounts highlighted a

spectrum of experiences, from professionalism and empathy to dissatisfaction with

superficial and ineffective processes. These insights underscore the critical role of

organizational behavior in shaping outcomes for those who report harassment.

Participants described their initial interactions with reporting channels as varied.

In some cases, HR personnel or designated reporting entities demonstrated

professionalism, providing clear guidelines and structured processes. However, these

positive encounters were often overshadowed by perceived tokenism. These interactions

left participants feeling that the process prioritized organizational liability over genuine

accountability.

In smaller organizations or non-traditional work environments, the absence of

formal HR structures posed significant obstacles. Participants in these settings often

described a lack of accessible reporting mechanisms, such as a delivery gig worker who

explained, "There’s no HR person you can just talk to—it’s just me and the app.” This

lack of clarity and engagement further eroded participants’ trust in the reporting process.

The narratives also revealed procedural inefficiencies that compounded participants’

frustrations. Delays in follow-ups were a recurring issue, with participants frequently left

in limbo after filing a report. "Weeks went by, and then I heard through the grapevine

that he received a verbal warning," a female educator explained.

Mediation emerged as a particularly contentious aspect of the process. While

intended as a conflict resolution tool, participants described it as inadequate for

addressing the power dynamics inherent in harassment cases. A female retail employee

described how mediation appeared to be an effort to minimize the issue rather than

resolve it, leaving the participant feeling invalidated and unsupported. A lack of post-

resolution follow-through further highlighted procedural shortcomings. Participants

reported that HR or management rarely conducted follow-ups to ensure the harassment

had ceased or to assess the well-being of those involved. This absence of continued

support reinforced perceptions that reporting was a hollow exercise with little meaningful

impact.

The experiences shared by participants reveal systemic weaknesses in

organizational reporting processes, from inconsistent professionalism to inadequate

procedural follow-through. Some participants encountered empathetic responses, but

these were overshadowed by the widespread perception of tokenism and inefficiency.

Table 3

Excerpts from Participant Responses relating to Organizational Failure

ISSUE

EXCERPTS FROM PARTICIPANT RESPONSES

Professionalism

and procedural

adherence by

HR/management

"HR was professional during the investigation, but after that, I

felt like I was just on my own." (P1)

“HR was polite and professional. They asked for a detailed

account of what happened and initially said they would

investigate, but later suggested mediation instead." (P10)

ISSUE

EXCERPTS FROM PARTICIPANT RESPONSES

Lack of formal

reporting structures

in non-traditional

workplaces

"There’s no HR person you can just talk to—it’s just me and the

app and a button for ‘report problems,’ but it isn’t for solving

problems." (P4)

"There was no HR department. Everything went through the co-

founders or the CEO." (P7)

Perceived tokenism

or surface-level

engagement by

organizations

"HR basically said it didn’t meet their definition of harassment

but offered to mediate a conversation between us." (P6)

"The CEO checked in once to ask if things were better, but it felt

more like they were just covering their bases than genuinely

trying to support me." (P7)

Reporting systems

that prioritize

minimizing

liability over

meaningful

resolution

"They told me to avoid interacting with him and suggested I

focus on moving forward. That was it. No consequences for him,

no acknowledgment of how his behavior was impacting my

work." (P8)

"They said they’d had a conversation with him and that was it. I

felt like they were saying it was my fault for misunderstanding

his behavior." (P9)

Ineffective

handling of

complaints

"They facilitated a mediation session. He apologized, but it

wasn’t genuine—he said he was sorry I reacted that way. HR

closed the case after that." (P6)

"Weeks went by, and then I heard through the grapevine that he

received a verbal warning." (P12)

Post-Reporting Consequences

The theme of "Post-Reporting Consequences" examines the aftermath of

participants’ decisions to report workplace sexual harassment. Their narratives highlight

the retaliatory actions they experienced, the lack of support provided by their

organizations, and the broader emotional and professional impacts of reporting.

Participants consistently reported experiencing retaliation following their decisions to

report harassment. These retaliatory actions ranged from subtle exclusion to overt

professional setbacks. One female participant shared, "My new supervisor was polite, but

it felt like they were avoiding giving me important tasks. And some colleagues just

stopped talking to me altogether.” Another described being assigned less meaningful

work: "After reporting, I started getting put on prep work, which is basically like a

punishment.”

In addition to exclusion and reduced responsibilities, participants often faced

gossip and ostracism from their colleagues. "Some coworkers started acting differently

around me. Like, they’d avoid me or give me these weird, sideways looks," one female

participant recounted. A female warehouse supervisor shared how workplace dynamics

turned hostile: "Some of them started joking about the complaint, saying things like,

‘Careful, the boss might call HR.’ It was demoralizing.”

The professional consequences of retaliation were significant. Participants

reported being denied career opportunities or feeling forced to step back from their roles.

A CEO’s assistant noted, "I requested a transfer to another department, but it was denied

with no explanation. I started looking for another job.” Another explained, "I went back

to my old position because I couldn’t take the stress of the situation.”

Participants’ accounts revealed a pervasive lack of support from their

organizations after reporting harassment. Many noted that once the investigation

concluded, there were no follow-ups or efforts to ensure their well-being. "No follow-ups

to see how I was doing. It felt like once the case was closed, they just moved on," one

participant explained (P1). The warehouse supervisor described a superficial response:

"HR followed up once to ask if things were ‘better,’ but by then, I felt like they just

wanted to move on.” The absence of meaningful organizational support took a toll. "I felt

isolated. It was clear I wasn’t welcome anymore," the CEO’s assistant shared. Another

highlighted the ongoing risk to others due to insufficient organizational action: "I had to

warn the student assistants not to encourage him or be alone with him. It kept happening"

(P11).

Table 4

Excerpts from Participant Responses Relating to Post-Reporting Consequences

ISSUE

EXCERPTS FROM PARTICIPANT RESPONSES

Retaliation

"After reporting, I started getting put on prep work, which is

basically like a punishment." (P2)

"My new supervisor was polite, but it felt like they were avoiding

giving me important tasks." (P1)

Gossip and Ostracism

"Some coworkers started acting differently around me. Like, they’d

avoid me or give me these weird, sideways looks." (P3)

Professional Setbacks

"I requested a transfer to another department, but it was denied with

no explanation. I started looking for another job." (P5)

Emotional and Professional Impact

The findings revealed profound emotional and professional consequences

experienced by participants following workplace sexual harassment and the subsequent

reporting process. These impacts were deeply intertwined with systemic organizational

shortcomings and the absence of meaningful support mechanisms. P1 shared, "It was

tough. I felt anxious going into work every day, wondering how people would treat me.

My confidence was just gone. I used to feel like I was part of the team, but I didn’t feel

the same connection anymore." For others, feelings of powerlessness were intensified

during the reporting process itself. P9 recounted, "HR asked so many detailed questions

that I started to wonder if I imagined it. I felt powerless and unimportant." Participants

also expressed that the emotional strain often persisted long after reporting, affecting

their ability to function both personally and professionally.

The professional consequences of harassment and the subsequent reporting

process were equally profound. Many participants described a sharp decline in job

satisfaction and questioned their professional fit or future career trajectories. A restaurant

employee explained, "By the time I left, I felt like maybe I didn’t belong in the industry

at all." A male participant echoed this sentiment, stating, "I started questioning whether

this was even the right place for me anymore." Participants frequently cited a lack of

meaningful organizational response as a key factor in these outcomes. One female

participant shared that after reporting, "There were no follow-ups to see how I was doing.

It felt like once the case was closed, they just moved on." This lack of engagement

exacerbated feelings of isolation and professional disenchantment, leaving participants

with limited options to recover their confidence or sense of purpose within the

organization.

Table 5

Excerpts from Participant Responses - Emotional and Professional Impact

ISSUE

EXCERPTS FROM PARTICIPANT RESPONSES

Emotional Toll

"It was tough. I felt anxious going into work every day,

wondering how people would treat me." (P1)

"HR asked so many detailed questions that I started to wonder if I

imagined it. I felt powerless and unimportant." (P9)

Professional Consequences

"By the time I left, I felt like maybe I didn’t belong in the

industry at all." (P2)

"I started questioning whether this was even the right place for

me anymore." (P3)

The intersection of emotional and professional consequences often led

participants to withdraw from their organizations or fields altogether. A gig worker

reflected, "It was really stressful. I stopped feeling safe while working. The stress just

wasn’t worth it anymore, so I quit." Similarly, an assistant noted, "I started looking for

another job because it was clear I wasn’t welcome anymore,” the warehouse supervisor

remarked, "HR followed up once to ask if things were ‘better,’ but by then, I felt like they

just wanted to move on. There was no counseling, no effort to rebuild team dynamics,

just nothing."

Figure 1

Prevalence of Barriers to Reporting Workplace Sexual Harassment

Organizational Failures

Participants’ narratives underscored widespread systemic failures within

organizations, particularly in addressing workplace harassment effectively. These failures

spanned policy enforcement, accountability mechanisms, and workplace culture, all of

which compounded the negative impacts of harassment and reporting. Participants

consistently reported gaps in organizational processes, including a lack of accountability

for perpetrators. A female participant shared, "He stayed in his position and was told not

to create the perception of a problem, as though the problem was my perception of his

harassment." Similarly, a university library employee noted, "They said they wouldn’t be

able to move forward unless the student made a formal complaint. They really

downplayed my concerns." Many participants described their frustration with

inconsistent enforcement of harassment policies. One female participant recounted, "HR

handled the case objectively, but it didn’t help with the feeling that reporting it was a

threat to me… not my job, but to me as a person and in terms of respect at work."

Participants also pointed out that mandatory training programs or policy updates

introduced after incidents often felt like superficial responses. A female participant

reflected, "The company introduced mandatory training sessions for everyone, but it

came too late for me."

Participants described organizational cultures that prioritized reputation over

employee well-being, creating environments where harassment was normalized or

dismissed. A customer support representative stated, "I believed in the company’s

mission and values, but they didn’t apply to the people. I felt let down, really let down."

This prioritization of reputation often led to superficial solutions rather than meaningful

change. One participant commented, "Policies about safety and zero tolerance are

meaningless. They protect the company, not the employees." Similarly, a university

library employee observed, "I realized how much they protect people with power, and

that a lot of the HR talk is just smoke and mirrors." Participants noted that organizations

often downplayed the experiences of those reporting harassment, particularly when the

accused held influential positions. A restaurant employee explained, "There needs to be

accountability, even for the talented and powerful.” A marketing professional recounted,

"They told me to avoid interacting with him and suggested I focus on moving forward.

That was it. No consequences for him, no acknowledgment of how his behavior was

impacting my work." One participant similarly observed, "They said they’d had a

conversation with him and that was it. I felt like they were saying it was my fault for

misunderstanding his behavior."

Participants expressed disappointment in the lack of follow-through after

reporting harassment. While some organizations conducted investigations, few offered

meaningful support to victims. Participants emphasized that organizations failed to

provide counseling services, meaningful follow-ups, or efforts to rebuild trust. A

customer support representative noted, "The CEO checked in once to ask if things were

better, but it felt more like they were just covering their bases than genuinely trying to

support me." The absence of proactive measures left participants feeling abandoned. An

educator stated, "Steps have to be taken to ensure the victim feels safe and to keep others

from being a victim. It’s exhausting to deal with this and then not be believed. It affects

everything, especially your mental state and performance." The data suggests that the

emotional and professional impacts of harassment and reporting are intertwined, often

resulting in significant long-term consequences for individuals. For others, the lack of

support exacerbated feelings of isolation and hindered their ability to recover from the

experience.

Recommendations for Change

Participants shared valuable insights into how organizations can improve their

approaches to addressing workplace harassment. Their recommendations, derived from

lived experiences, emphasized the need for improved reporting mechanisms, robust

victim support systems, and organizational accountability to create safer, more inclusive

workplaces. A recurring theme among participants was the need for transparent,

accessible, and independent post-reporting processes. Many expressed frustrations with

existing systems that were either opaque or overly reliant on internal leadership. The

customer support representative suggested, "Startups need to take HR seriously. You

can’t just have leadership dealing with sensitive issues without some kind of independent

process." Clear guidelines on how to respond to reports of harassment were also seen as

essential. One participant observed, "HR needs to take complaints seriously, even if they

seem subtle. There needs to be accountability." Participants emphasized that

organizations must ensure employees are aware of their rights and the steps involved in

reporting incidents.

Many participants recommended that organizations focus on providing consistent

and meaningful support to victims after reports are made. One participant shared,

"Companies need to extend support beyond the investigation phase. There were no

follow-ups to see how I was doing." Participants suggested offering counseling services,

regular follow-ups, and efforts to rebuild trust within the workplace. The warehouse

supervisor elaborated on the emotional toll caused by inadequate post-reporting support:

"There was no counseling, no effort to rebuild team dynamics, just nothing."

Participants wanted perpetrators to be held accountable, regardless of their

position within the organization. Participants expressed frustration with systems that

appeared to prioritize protecting influential individuals over addressing the harm caused.

Consistent enforcement of harassment policies was another key recommendation. The

university library employee stated, "Institutions need to stop prioritizing their image over

doing what’s right." Clear and measurable consequences for harassment were seen as

needed to reinforce trust in the system and deter future misconduct. One participant

remarked, "Mandatory training sessions are a step forward, but they need to be more than

just a box to check." Participants recommended training that goes beyond basic

compliance. The educator suggested, "Steps have to be taken to ensure the victim feels

safe and to keep others from being victims." This included fostering open dialogue,

empowering employees to report harassment without fear, and building an environment

where all individuals feel valued.

Summary

Chapter 4 concludes by synthesizing the findings that shape the experiences of

employees reporting workplace sexual harassment, including the prominent subthemes of

fear of retaliation, mistrust in organizational processes, personal consequences for those

reporting, and gaps between policy and practice.

The two research questions were resolved as follows:

Research Question 1: What factors are perceived as those influencing the decision

of workers to report or not report sexual harassment in the workplace?

The study found the following factors influence reporting decisions: fear of

retaliation, support or lack of support of colleagues, organizational conditions, and trust.

These factors were examined through the themes of decision to report, emotional and

professional impact, and organizational shortcomings.

Research Question 2: How do those who report sexual harassment perceive the

lived experience of their work environment after the event?

Post-reporting experiences were characterized by process unclarity, negative

responses, changes in perceptions of professionalism, and a lack of accountability. The

lived experiences of those who report were identified through the themes of reporting

experience, emotional and professional impact, and organizational shortcomings. Primary

factors were identified as

Fear of retaliation emerged as a significant psychological barrier when

participants considered reporting harassment. Retaliation often included social exclusion,

ostracism, and career stagnation, amplifying the emotional toll. Participants frequently

questioned whether their experiences were "serious enough," struggling with self-doubt

and internalized blame. While trusted colleagues sometimes encouraged reporting,

broader workplace cultures often stigmatized whistleblowers, discouraging action. Sexual

harassment policies alone proved insufficient to protect employees. Participants noted

that leadership in flat hierarchies often served as both policymakers and enforcers,

leading to conflicts of interest and inconsistent application. Many described these policies

as "lip service," particularly when influential perpetrators faced no consequences.

Organizational dynamics were pivotal. Power imbalances, especially in hierarchical

workplaces, left employees feeling unable to challenge influential harassers. In flat

hierarchies, such as startups and gig platforms, sexual harassment policies existed but

lacked enforcement mechanisms. Without HR departments or structured reporting

pathways, these policies were largely symbolic, failing to offer tangible support to

victims. Prevention programs, while mandatory in some organizations, were reactive

rather than proactive, often introduced after high-profile incidents. Participants criticized

these initiatives for failing to address systemic issues like power dynamics or toxic

workplace cultures. HR practices often prioritized organizational liability over

meaningful resolutions, and mediation, a common conflict resolution tool, was deemed

inadequate in cases involving significant power imbalances. The absence of follow-up

support further alienated reporters, leaving them to navigate the aftermath without

institutional backing.

Participants expressed deep mistrust of HR departments, particularly in

hierarchical organizations where HR was seen as protecting the organization rather than

supporting employees. In flat hierarchies, the lack of formal HR structures left employees

without clear pathways for redress. Leadership in these settings often served dual roles,

undermining the integrity of reporting systems. External oversight mechanisms, such as

independent ombudsman systems, were notably absent, particularly in non-traditional

work environments like gig platforms. The lack of regulatory oversight exacerbated

systemic failures, rendering many reporting systems ineffective.

The economic impacts of harassment and reporting were significant. Participants

reported lost wages and career stagnation due to retaliation, exclusion from opportunities,

and being forced to leave toxic workplaces. Some described having to seek alternative

employment, often at lower pay or outside their field, resulting in financial instability.

For gig workers and those in precarious employment, economic vulnerability heightened

the risk of remaining silent about harassment, as reporting could threaten their income

entirely. Future research should assess the long-term economic consequences of

reporting, particularly for individuals in marginalized or precarious employment contexts.

The gap between organizational policies and employees' lived experiences was a

recurring theme. While many organizations promoted "zero-tolerance" policies, these

frameworks were inconsistently applied, especially in cases involving powerful

perpetrators. Cultural resistance to change further undermined these policies, with

leadership prioritizing reputation management over accountability. This resistance

perpetuated distrust and discouraged employees from reporting.

The findings of this study illuminate the systemic and interpersonal complexities

that characterize the experiences of individuals reporting workplace sexual harassment.

Central to these findings are three overarching insights: the decision to report, procedural

ineffectiveness, and emotional/professional consequences. These findings emphasize the

emotional and psychological aspects of the decision to report and post-reporting impacts,

providing evidence of the need for workplace environments where employees feel safe in

coming forward. The study results revealed widespread deficiencies in relation to the

expectations of the organizational reporting processes, especially concerning follow-up

mechanisms, the protection of workers, and meaningful resolution. Participants

frequently described their interactions with HR and management as superficial,

contributing to a pervasive sense of disillusionment with institutional responses.

Reporting harassment exacted a significant toll on participants, manifesting as stress,

anxiety, professional disengagement, and, in some cases, career stagnation or departure.

The lack of sustained organizational support post-reporting further compounded these

impacts, illustrating the systemic failures that exacerbate harm instead of facilitating

recovery. Despite these challenges, participants provided actionable recommendations,

advocating for transparent and independent reporting systems, ongoing victim support,

and proactive organizational reforms to address cultural and structural barriers. These

insights provide a foundation for the discussion of implications, recommendations, and

conclusions in Chapter 5. The next chapter explores the broader significance of these

findings, including their implications for social change, and outlines actionable

recommendations to address the identified challenges.

Chapter 5: Discussion, Conclusions, and Recommendations

Introduction

In this chapter, I will provide the interpretive analysis of participants' experiences

reporting sexual harassment in the workplace. The study highlighted that, despite the

existing of sexual harassment reporting policies and prohibition of harassment, personal

motivations and perceptions create structural barriers, and systemic inadequacies result in

ineffective organizational responses and profound emotional and professional

consequences in the post-reporting period. In this, discussion, I integrate these findings

with contemporary theoretical frameworks to inform recommendations for practice and

future research that advance equity and accountability in the workplace harassment

responses.

Interpretation of the Findings

In this section, I use the collected findings to respond to the research questions

and provide a comprehensive interpretation of the data within theoretical frameworks and

existing literature.

Addressing Research Question 1

Research Question 1: What factors are perceived as those influencing the decision

of workers to report or not report sexual harassment in the workplace?

The decision to report workplace sexual harassment emerged as a deeply personal

and context-dependent process. Participants described balancing motivations such as

seeking justice and ensuring safety with significant fears of retaliation and mistrust in

organizational systems. Many participants cited moments of escalation, such as public

humiliation or physical boundary violations, as critical to their decision to report.

Emotional support from trusted colleagues often bolstered the decision-making process,

aligning with Butler’s (1990) insights on power dynamics and performativity. However,

structural barriers, including inadequate reporting mechanisms and cultural stigmas,

frequently deterred participants. Schein’s (2010) model of organizational culture

highlights how underlying assumptions, such as protecting powerful individuals,

perpetuate these barriers. Fear of retaliation and skepticism about HR impartiality were

common themes. Becton et al. (2017) have previously noted the failure of follow-up

mechanisms to protect victims of sexual harassment in the workplace, however the

recommendations to provide leadership training and better worker education are just

regurgitations of the approaches that clearly do not work without actual processes in

place that go beyond documentation. These findings emphasize the need for

organizations to foster transparent and supportive environments that empower employees

to report harassment without fear of adverse consequences.

Addressing Research Question 2

Research Question 2: How do those who report sexual harassment perceive the

lived experience of their work environment after the event?

Participants’ post-reporting experiences revealed significant gaps between their

expectations and organizational responses. Many reported that the primary goal in

deciding to report the sexual harassment was to stop the harassment and to hold the

perpetrators accountable. This did not happen as expected, as procedural inefficiencies

and a focus on liability management, among other issues, frequently undermined these

100

goals. Trauma-informed frameworks, such as those outlined by Fallot and Harris (2001),

recognize that safety and trust are necessary factors in achieving meaningful resolutions,

however these have not been prioritized in the responses of the organizations.

Participants described persistent stress, anxiety, and professional stagnation following

their reports. Organizational failures to provide post-reporting support exacerbated these

impacts, reinforcing feelings of isolation and betrayal. These findings align with existing

literature on the compounded harms of harassment and inadequate institutional responses

(Fusch & Ness, 2015; Tight, 2024). The findings underscore the necessity for

organizations to implement comprehensive post-reporting support mechanisms that

address victims’ emotional and professional needs while fostering accountability.

Discussion of Findings

The findings of this study affirm many of the challenges and systemic failures

documented in the existing research while offering deeper insights into the lived

experiences of victims. The consistent identification of fear of retaliation and systemic

barriers as deterrents to reporting aligns with Boles et al. (2020), who emphasized that

organizational cultures often discourage victims from coming forward. Participants in

this study highlighted how reputational harm, professional setbacks, and the

ineffectiveness of reporting mechanisms contributed to their hesitation to report

harassment. Hébert (2020) stated that liability-driven organizational practices further

expose victims, a perspective strongly echoed by participants who described feeling

unsupported or even punished after reporting. These findings underscore the entrenched

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nature of systemic failures, perpetuating a culture of silence that discourages transparency

and accountability.

The study reinforces the emotional toll of harassment, particularly stress, anxiety,

and loss of confidence, as identified by Siuta and Bergman (2019). Participants’

narratives revealed how emotional impacts extended far beyond the harassment itself,

often intensifying during and after the reporting process. For example, the lack of

organizational support left victims feeling isolated and self-doubting, reflecting the

compounded harm described in the literature. This study further refines the understanding

of emotional consequences by illustrating how organizational inaction exacerbates these

effects, turning a potentially reparative process into a prolonged source of distress.

Professional consequences, such as diminished job satisfaction, isolation, and

career stagnation, were also significant themes that align with research by Rihal et al.

(2020) and Von Gruenigen and Karlan (2018). Participants frequently reported feeling

undervalued and disconnected from their workplace, leading some to consider or pursue

career changes. This aligns with the literature's depiction of harassment as a critical factor

in professional disengagement and turnover. The study’s findings refine this perspective

by highlighting the specific mechanisms through which these professional impacts occur,

such as exclusion from projects and lack of recognition from leadership.

Schein’s (2010) organizational culture model can be used as a framework for

analyzing how organizational artifacts, values, and assumptions interact to shape

harassment responses. Misalignment between espoused values of equity and underlying

assumptions of protection undermines policy effectiveness. Conducting cultural audits,

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ensuring leadership accountability, and promoting transparency in reporting mechanisms

can align cultural elements with organizational commitments to safety and fairness.

Schein’s framework also supports embedding these changes into organizational culture

through structured change management (Kotter, 1996).

The pervasive policy gaps and accountability failures identified in this study

closely mirror findings by Dahl and Knepper (2021). Participants described unclear

procedures and inconsistent enforcement of policies, particularly when perpetrators were

individuals in positions of power. This not only deterred victims from reporting but also

reinforced perceptions of organizational complicity. These findings expand on the

literature by providing vivid accounts of how these systemic shortcomings manifest in

everyday workplace interactions, adding depth to the discussion of structural failures.

The absence of post-reporting support mechanisms was another critical area of

alignment with the literature. Porter (2020) emphasizes the importance of follow-up

counseling and reintegration efforts to aid victims’ recovery, yet participants in this study

consistently noted the lack of such measures. Instead, they described feeling abandoned

once investigations concluded, which intensified their sense of isolation and professional

disconnection.

These findings highlight urgent need for investment in victim-centered

approaches that extend beyond initial investigations. This study corroborates the cultural

resistance to change described by Banerjee and Kankaria (2022) and Clancy et al. (2020).

Participants frequently perceived organizational reforms, such as training programs or

policy updates, as superficial efforts that failed to address deeper cultural issues. These

103

perspectives align with the literature's assertion that cultural norms often undermine the

effectiveness of harassment prevention initiatives. This study contributes by illustrating

how these cultural dynamics play out in specific organizational settings, further

demonstrating the gap between stated policies and lived realities.

Trauma-informed frameworks should be a core framework for organizational

responses to workplace harassment, with an emphasis on safety, trust, peer support,

empowerment, and cultural competence (Fallot & Harris, 2001). Confidentiality,

counseling, and trauma-sensitive training for managers may help to create supportive

environments that address victims' needs. There are physical, emotional, financial, and

economic impacts as a result of reporting sexual harassment, but modern HR practices,

despite the promise of support, often have inadequate processes to provide it (Knight,

2015; Wilson et al., 2013).

Limitations of the Study

This study provides valuable insights into the experiences of individuals reporting

workplace sexual harassment; however, several limitations must be acknowledged:

Eligibility Criteria and Exclusion of Non-Reporting Perspectives

The study’s eligibility criteria required participants to have been victims of

workplace sexual harassment, reported the incident, and worked in organizations with

established harassment reporting policies. Consequently, the voices of individuals who

chose not to report sexual harassment, or who worked in environments without formal

reporting policies, were not captured. This exclusion limits the understanding of barriers

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faced by individuals in contexts where reporting mechanisms are absent or ineffective, as

well as the broader factors influencing decisions not to report.

Sample Size and Diversity

I used a convenience sample of 12 participants, which, while achieving data

saturation, may not fully represent the diverse range of experiences associated with

reporting workplace harassment. Although participants came from various industries and

roles, the relatively small sample size limits the generalizability of findings to other

workplace contexts, including those outside the geographic or cultural settings of this

study.

Reliance on Self-Reported Data

Findings are based on participants’ self-reported experiences. These are

subjective, and so there are risks of recall bias, personal interpretation, and selective

memory. Member-checking was employed to enhance credibility, but the nature of self-

reported data is one that provides for perceptions, rather than more objective criteria.

Participants’ accounts also reflect their individual perspectives, which may not

encompass all dimensions of their organizational environments.

Cross-Sectional Design

I used a cross-sectional design to capture participants’ experiences at a single

point in time. This may limit the ability to examine how perspectives or organizational

responses may have evolved over time. The long-term impacts of reporting sexual

harassment remain to be explored, presenting an opportunity for further longitudinal

research.

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Contextual Variability

I did not account for differences in workplace size, industry practices, or

organizational hierarchies, which may influence how harassment is reported and

addressed. For example, experiences in large corporate environments may differ

significantly from those in smaller startups, gig platforms, or emerging industries. This

contextual variability limits the applicability of findings across all employment settings.

Focus on Formal Reporting

I centered this study on individuals who engaged with formal reporting

mechanisms, excluding those who reported harassment through informal channels or who

sought resolution outside of their organizations. Due to this focus, I may have overlooked

valuable perspectives on alternative reporting approaches or how informal organizational

cultures influence decisions to report.

Virtual Data Collection Setting

Data collection using virtual platforms such as Zoom or interviews by phone may

ensure accessibility and confidentiality, but they may have affected the depth of

participant engagement. Virtual interviews can limit nonverbal communication cues and

rapport-building, which may influence the level of trust in the researcher and could limit

the richness of the data that were collected.

Limits to Generalizability

These limitations highlight the need for caution in generalizing the findings to

broader populations or workplace contexts. Future researchers should address these

constraints by expanding eligibility criteria to include individuals who chose not to report

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harassment or who lack access to formal reporting mechanisms. Additionally, larger,

more diverse samples and longitudinal approaches could result in greater insight into the

long-term impacts of reporting and the effectiveness of organizational responses. A focus

on alternative reporting pathways may enhance understanding of the complex dynamics

surrounding workplace harassment. Despite these limitations, the study includes a critical

foundation for advancing the discourse on workplace harassment reporting and

organizational accountability.

Recommendations

Recommendations are divided into three streams, namely recommendations for

organizations, recommendations for workers suffering from sexual harassment, and

recommendations for future research.

Recommendations for Organizations

It is not enough for policies to prohibit sexual harassment. Organizations must

ensure the protection of workers, and this includes responding to the needs of persons

reporting sexual harassment and mitigating consequences as well as ensuring penalties

for perpetrators. This is fundamentally a matter of process, including strengthening

reporting mechanisms, enhancing post-reporting support, enforcing accountability,

fostering cultural reforms, ensuring policies work in a digital world and flat hierarchies,

and mitigating the impacts faced by victims. These systems must maintain

confidentiality, demonstrate impartiality, and outline a clear process for resolution.

Employers and their representatives in HR need actionable guidelines, such as step-by-

step instructions for responding to harassment, to reinforce the organization’s

107

commitment to holding perpetrators accountable. Such post-reporting support

mechanisms should ensure victims' safety with the provision of resources that include

counseling and legal assistance, even where this exposes the liability of the company.

Routine check-ins by HR or designated personnel can monitor the victim's reintegration

into the workplace while addressing potential retaliation promptly. Enforcing

accountability requires organizations to adopt clear, enforceable disciplinary measures,

consistently apply harassment policies, and communicate their enforcement to

stakeholders, reinforcing zero tolerance for non-compliance. While such approaches may

not be a popular approach for consideration by organization leaders, the greater

contingent liability remains the lack of safety at work and the potential loss of talent if

workers do not feel safe.

Structural and cultural reforms are equally essential. Mandatory training programs

should emphasize respect, bystander intervention, and the tangible consequences of

harassment to shift workplace norms. Regular cultural audits can identify misalignments

between policy and practice, prompting corrective actions by leadership. Organizations

must empower leaders to model ethical behavior, respond decisively to harassment

reports, and foster an environment of trust. Policies must ensure that emerging industries,

remote work, and gig platforms are adapted so that reporting tools are accessible,

effective, and subject to oversight.

Economic impacts on reporters must also be mitigated. Organizations could

consider offering financial support to offset costs associated with the impacts of sexual

harassment and retaliation, including lost wages. Where needed, career counseling could

108

be provided to help victims rebuild their professional lives and career. Such measures

would help to demonstrate the organization’s commitment to a harassment-free

workplace and support the broader goal of ensuring a safe and inclusive work

environment.

Recommendations for Workers Subjected to Sexual Harassment

For workers subjected to harassment, there is little evidence-based guidance.

Victims are often left to navigate complex reporting structures without adequate support

to address harassment. Workers should also be encouraged to document incidents as well

as consequences, ensuring that they can substantiate claims outside of the workplace if

necessary. To that end, being aware of their rights and protections under workplace laws

and regulations in their jurisdiction may have some value, but they cannot make up for

the professional and personal losses that appear likely to occur.

Recommendations for Future Research

Future research should prioritize mapping existing reporting processes and

analyzing their outcomes in relation to both organizational expectations and victim

experiences. This study highlights a persistent gap between the procedural intent of

harassment reporting mechanisms and their actual effectiveness in addressing victims’

needs and fostering accountability. A detailed examination of these processes is critical to

understanding the alignment—or misalignment—between policy design and

implementation. Research should begin with a systematic mapping of organizational

reporting structures across industries, focusing on variations in policies, mechanisms, and

access. Key areas of exploration could include the transparency of reporting pathways

109

and the clarity of steps outlined in organizational policies, the availability of alternative,

independent reporting channels for employees who mistrust internal mechanisms,

variations in the resources allocated to supporting victims post-reporting (counseling,

follow-up communication, and reintegration initiatives), and an audit of whether the

policy is effective in protecting workers from sexual harassment and its consequences for

victims who report.

Once mapped, research should critically evaluate the effectiveness of these

mechanisms in achieving their stated goals. For example, does the process minimize the

risk of retaliation or professional isolation, as promised in many organizational policies,

and are victims provided with consistent emotional and professional support throughout

and after the reporting process? To what extent are perpetrators held accountable, and

how often are outcomes perceived as just and satisfactory by victims?

The study’s findings revealed that reporting systems often fall short in practice,

with participants describing experiences that diverge from the promises of

confidentiality, fairness, and follow-up support. Future research should investigate these

discrepancies to identify systemic barriers, such as liability-driven organizational

practices or cultural resistance to change, that hinder the effectiveness of reporting

mechanisms and the contextualization of gendered relations within the organizational

culture.

110

Implications

Implications for Positive Social Change

The most significant gaps in addressing workplace harassment lie in the processes

that follow reporting. Reporting systems are intended to address harassment, but this

result is undermined by ineffective post-reporting processes. Participants consistently

described organizational failures to enforce policies, provide follow-up support, and

prevent retaliation. These inadequacies not only harm victims but also perpetuate mistrust

in organizational systems and discourage future reporting. At the individual level, the

study highlights the importance of trauma-informed post-reporting practices. At the

organizational level, the findings emphasize unrealized accountability, follow-up

mechanisms, and protection against retaliation to rebuild trust in the safety of the

workplace. Organizations should consider best practices in policy evaluation, such as

outcome auditing practices that determine whether the policy has successfully protected

workers from sexual harassment and provided protection for victims of workplace sexual

harassment.

Methodological, Theoretical, and Empirical Implications

This study highlights some of the systemic failures of current practices, but

further research is needed to fully detail these factors. While demographic and

intersectional factors were not included, future qualitative research could show how these

dimensions relate to post-reporting impacts and supports to better understand how

experiences of harassment and reporting differ across diverse populations. The findings

reinforce theories of organizational culture and power, demonstrating how hierarchies

111

and cultural resistance undermine the effectiveness of sexual harassment prevention

policies. The study provides evidence of the emotional and professional consequences of

inadequate post-reporting processes that actively support victims and hold perpetrators

accountable.

Call to Action

Organizations must focus on improving post-reporting processes to ensure victims

are supported and protected after coming forward. Trauma-informed practices should be

adopted, including providing access to counseling, conducting regular follow-ups, and

offering professional support to help victims recover. Not surprisingly, there is a similar

need and call to action in relation to police investigation of sexual assault that provides a

parallel (Lathan et al., 2022). Proactive measures against retaliation, such as monitoring

for exclusion or diminished responsibilities, are essential to ensuring victims feel safe and

valued in their workplace.

Conclusion

This study and findings reveal that, as with other forms of victimization, the

presence of laws, rules, and organizational policies alone is insufficient to ensure justice

or meaningful protection for workers who experience and report sexual harassment at

work. The policy frameworks and espousal of zero tolerance may establish the

expectation of safety and accountability, but the application often falls short. As a result,

victims must navigate a system that prioritizes liability management over the well-being

of victimized workers. The narratives of participants highlight a consistent and persistent

gap between policy and practice. Reporting mechanisms, though designed to address

112

harassment, often exacerbate harm to the victim, with few processes in place to help

address and resolve the complaint and its consequences.

Central to this disconnect is the absence of active protection for workers who

report harassment. Participants described inconsistent enforcement of policies, cultural

resistance to change, and a lack of follow-up support, all deficiencies that mirror broader

limitations in the criminal justice system, where responses often focus on punitive

measures rather than the support of victims and restoration of losses. Organizations,

much like justice systems, also fail to address the emotional and professional

consequences of reporting, leaving victims isolated and disillusioned.

The focus on compliance-driven frameworks must be recognized as inadequate to

provide safety in the workplace. Such safety would build on clear expectations of

behavior to include proactive, trauma-informed practices that prioritize victim safety and

well-being when victims report sexual harassment. Active protection must include

safeguarding victims from retaliation, offering counseling, and ensuring accountability

for perpetrators. Without these measures, organizational sexual harassment policies

remain performative and ineffective in meeting their objectives. It is clear that protection

from sexual harassment requires more than the existence of robust policies. It demands

processes and structures that can protect and mitigate harm, while fostering environments

where reporting is met with action.

113 
 
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