NCJ Number
237091
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 23 Issue: 9 Dated: September 2008 Pages: 1258-1276
Date Published
September 2008
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This study examined graduate students' perceptions of sexual harassment.
Abstract
This study compared the perceptions of 172 graduate students to traditional versus contrapower sexual harassment. Graduate students are a unique sample due to their dual role as a student and a teacher. After controlling for attitudes toward feminism and sexual harassment, participants viewed contrapower sexual harassment as less indicative of sexual harassment than traditional sexual harassment. Those with teaching experience perceived the scenarios provided as more indicative of sexual harassment than participants without teaching experience, and this effect was magnified for males. These findings suggest that people take sexual harassment less seriously in contrapower sexual harassment than in traditional sexual harassment. Furthermore, it is possible that teaching experience makes graduate students more aware of the complicated power differentials involved in classroom settings. (Published Abstract)