IMPACT OF ETHNICITY, GENDER, AND PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE ON JUROR JUDGMENTS IN SEXUAL HARASSMENT CASES

To examine the influence of gender, having been the target of sexual h arassment, and ethnicity on jury decisions, 215 respondents reviewed 1 7 sexual harassment cases ranging on a continuum from relatively innoc ent to severe. Respondents indicated their perception of the offensive ness of the cases as well as whether they would vote for the plaintiff or for the defendant. Jurors voting for the plaintiff also indicated whether monetary damages should be awarded. Results of the study indic ate that gender and prior experience with sexual harassment affect the outcomes in sexual harassment cases when behaviors can be classified as ambiguous. Results were mixed for the influence of gender and havin g been sexually harassed for relatively innocent and severe cases. No ethnicity effects were found. A discussion of the legal implications o f these findings is included.