Female supervisors more susceptible to workplace sexual harassment

Women who hold supervisory positions are more likely to be sexually harassed at work, according to a recent study by the University of Minnesota.

Researchers found that nearly 50 percent of female supervisors reported sexual harassment in the workplace, while only one-third of women who do not supervise others reported such incidents. In more conservative models with stringent statistical controls, the study found that female supervisors were 137 percent more likely to be sexually harassed than women who did not hold managerial roles. While supervisory status increased the likelihood of harassment among women, it did not significantly impact the likelihood for men, researchers said.

The study, funded by the National Institutes of Mental Health and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, also found that men who reported higher levels of femininity were more likely to have experienced harassment than less feminine men. More feminine men were at a greater risk of experiencing more severe or multiple forms of sexual harassment, as were female supervisors.

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In a separate analysis examining perceived and self-reported sexual orientation, respondents being labeled as non-heterosexual by others or who self-identified as non-heterosexual (gay, lesbian, bisexual, unsure or other) were nearly twice as likely to experience harassment in the workplace.

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September 16, 2009

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