Saturday, 15 January 2005 - 12:00 PM

This presentation is part of: Poster Session II

Toward a Better Understanding of Sexual Harassment Among Female Social Workers

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between reported sexual harassment in the workplace and personal, familial, and employment stressors, in regard to job satisfaction among female social workers. While the topic has received recent attention in the social work literature (Fineran, 2002; Malamut & Offermann, 2001; & Gould 2000); there have been few empirical studies of sexual harassment among female social workers on the job (see Murrell, Olson, & Frieze, 1995; Maypole, 1986; & Judd, Block,& Calkin, 1985).

Method: A random sample of 200 female alumni from a large Midwestern school of social work were selected and mailed a 60-item survey on harassment, stress factors and job satisfaction. Also addressed was sexual harassment in the work place, including type of setting, type of harassment, gender and organizational position of the harasser(s), whom the episode was reported to (if at all), and how victims dealt with the episode. In addition, respondents were asked about their perceptions of overall seriousness of sexual harassment in human services agencies in general.

Results: Ninety-eight completed questionnaires were returned for a 49% response rate. Thirty-five percent (34) of the sample reported sexual harassment at work, with about half of the individuals (14) reporting the harassment took place in a social work agency. The most frequent type of harassment was verbal (N=29) and unwanted touch (N=12). The majority of those who were the harassers were males (88.2%) in supervisory positions (38.2%). Of the 98 respondents, 20% (19) indicated harassment as a serious problem in human services agencies, and about 25% (24) reported that management and agency supervisors were not doing enough to stop harassment at work. In this sample, harassment was not correlated with overall job satisfaction (X2=1.11, df=4, p=.837), or amount of on the job stress (X2=6.63, df=3, p=.087), but is was associated with feelings of subtle discrimination on the job (X2=15.37, df=4, p=.004). There was also a statistically significant difference (t = 2.54, df=94 p = .047) in incomes with those harassed earning an average about $5000 more than those not harassed. The question of non-response bias is discussed along with issues pertaining to the demand characteristics of the instrument.

Implications For Practice: Findings indicate that on the job harassment is a problem among female social workers. Policies regarding on the job harassment should address job discrimination and its impact on work attitudes and outcomes. The profession would benefit from greater attention to harassment and its prevention by social work educational and regulatory institutions and policy makers.

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