SEXUAL HARASSMENT - VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE

Sexual harassment has been a fixture of the workplace since women firs t began to work outside the home. Although true epidemiological studie s do not exist, large-scale surveys of working women suggest that appr oximately 1 of every 2 women will be harassed at some point during the ir academic or working lives. The data indicate that harassment is deg rading frightening, and sometimes physically violent; frequently exten ds over a considerable period of time; and can result in profound job- related, psychological; and health-related consequences. This article provides a brief review of the prevalence and consequences of sexual h arassment and outlines social policy implications for research, legisl ation, and primary prevention.