Search Results (165)

Background/Objectives: Online sexual violence is an increasingly prevalent form of gender-based harm facilitated by digital technologies, with significant consequences for the health, well-being, and rights of adult women. Despite growing attention to this phenomenon, women’s lived experiences remain underexplored, particularly regarding sexual consent and institutional responses. This study aimed to examine how adult women experience online sexual violence, how consent is negotiated or constrained in digital contexts, and how coping and institutional mechanisms are perceived. Methods: A qualitative study with a hermeneutic phenomenological approach was conducted. Data were collected through three focus groups with 23 women aged 21 to 42 years who were active users of social media. Results: Participants reported diverse forms of online sexual violence, including unsolicited sexual messages and images, persistent harassment, coercion, blackmail, and threats. Sexual consent was often undermined by emotional manipulation, social pressure, and fear, placing women in vulnerable positions. These experiences negatively affected well-being, contributing to anxiety, reduced self-esteem, fear, and difficulties in sexual and emotional relationships. Coping strategies were mainly individual, such as blocking perpetrators or reporting content, while social support was frequently perceived as insufficient. A generalized distrust of institutional responses emerged, with formal mechanisms viewed as ineffective or inaccessible. Conclusions: For the study participants, online sexual violence is increasingly normalized and concealed within digital environments, reinforced by anonymity and impunity. The findings highlight the need for continued research and the development of interventions that include early sexual and emotional education, awareness-raising initiatives, digital regulation, specialized professional training, and the strengthening of victim-centered support networks. Full article

Gender-based violence in public transportation is a global phenomenon that restricts women’s rights and autonomy. Most of the documentation relies on harassment and physical aggression, but the subtle internalized mechanisms that reproduce gender inequities remain insufficiently analyzed. This study involves the concept of symbolic violence as an analytical category to unveil how resignation and normalization of violence perpetuate gender power relations and limit women’s mobility. A cross-sectional survey of 263 women aged 15–60 was conducted in Querétaro, Mexico, a rapidly growing city with significant mobility challenges. The questionnaire included items on perceptions of safety, violent experiences, responses to acts of violence, and prevention strategies. An inductive–abductive analysis was implemented to construct empirical indicators derived from Bordieu’s concept of symbolic violence and habitus. Findings reveal that fear, avoidance, and self-regulation are normalized responses to violence in public transport. Women implement strategies such as changing routes, limiting night travel, or increasing their expenses to access safer options. Six empirical indicators were identified: perceived insecurity as normality, resignation to harassment, bodily and emotional self-regulation, preventive reorganization of mobility, personal costs of safety, and collective inaction. In conclusion, the study demonstrates how symbolic violence operates through behaviors, actions, perceptions, and thoughts that reproduce inequities. Operationalizing symbolic violence provides a methodological and conceptual tool to advance gender equality and inform gender-sensitive mobility policies. Full article

Workplace harassment of transgender employees remains pervasive and understudied. In this narrative review of 63 studies over the past 25 years, we summarize the literature on transgender workplace harassment. We focus on its prevalence and forms. Individual, organizational and cultural factors contribute to its occurrence; psychological and occupational outcomes; and strategies to reduce or prevent harassment. We find that harassment often extends beyond traditional definitions; includes misgendering, deadnaming, and the questioning or outright denial of one’s gender identity; and is particularly pervasive in masculinity contest cultures. These experiences are associated with both negative well-being of transgender employees and less effectiveness of the organizations that employ them, though more causal evidence is needed. We also highlight critical conceptual and methodological gaps to guide future research. Much of the existing research on LGBTQ+ employees in the workplace has focused primarily on sexual minorities, leaving the unique experiences of gender minorities invisible. Further, an intersectional lens is needed, as harassment experiences of trans women, trans men, and nonbinary people may differ in significant ways. Finally, we identify strategies to improve workplace climate including both top-down formal policy and bottom-up interpersonal behaviors. Full article

The growing integration of chatbots and large language models (LLMs) into society raises important concerns about their potential to reproduce toxic human behaviors. As a result, it is essential to investigate these models to mitigate or eliminate such risks. This paper presents an experimental study evaluating the responses of the Llama and Alpaca models to scenarios involving verbal harassment. The methodology involved using harassment dialogues generated by an LLM as prompts to elicit responses from both models. The responses were then analyzed for levels of toxicity, sexually explicit content, and flirtatiousness. The results indicate that although both models reduce explicit offensive terms, they exhibit limitations in identifying and intercepting abusive behavior from users. Statistical analysis reveals that general-purpose instruction tuning in Alpaca does not provide a robust safety barrier compared to the Llama base model for most variables investigated in the experiment. However, a significant difference was observed concerning flirting, where Llama proved more prone to validation and encouragement than Alpaca. Furthermore, the study identifies critical vulnerabilities, such as a “self-deprecation” bias in Llama and “mirroring” behavior in Alpaca. We also report a complementary triangulation with GPT-family models as a secondary point of reference. This paper discusses and contains content that can be offensive or upsetting. Full article

The aim of this study is twofold: (a) to identify the prevalence of sexual harassment and sex-based harassment among teaching and research staff (TRS) at a public university; and (b) to examine the predictive capacity of sociodemographic variables and prior harassment experiences on the frequency of different forms of sexual victimization (SEQ): gender harassment, unwanted sexual attention, and sexual coercion. A total of 425 TRS members participated (48.9% women, 50.6% men, 0.5% not identified; mean age = 45.88, SD = 22.2), all affiliated with a public university in northwestern Spain. Findings showed that female TRS explicitly self-identified as victims of sexual harassment and gender-based harassment within the university. Overall mean scores on the three SEQ subscales were low, yet women reported significantly higher levels of gender harassment and unwanted sexual attention. Female TRS also showed higher levels of technology-facilitated sexual harassment compared with their male counterparts. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that prior sexual victimization and technology-facilitated harassment were the strongest predictors across all SEQ dimensions. Unwanted sexual attention and TFSV predicted sexual coercion, whereas higher professional rank was associated with a reduced risk within this university. In conclusion, this public university requires well-disseminated and trusted protocols that explicitly address digital forms of sexual violence, alongside sustained preventive programs aimed at reducing revictimization. Full article

Online harassment is a pervasive occupational hazard for journalists, often precipitating psychological distress. However, little is known about the specific clinically significant psychological symptoms journalists may experience following online harassment and how it predicts diagnosable clinical disorders. This study examines the relationship between online harassment and (1) scores on validated clinical measures of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress symptoms and (2) probable generalized anxiety disorder, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder using established clinical cutoffs among 282 American women journalists. Journalists were recruited through a series of emails, Facebook advertisements, and Facebook posts. They completed an online survey that included questions about demographics, online harassment experiences, and three standardized measures of anxiety (GAD-7), depression (CES-D-10), and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PCL-5). In this sample, 91.5% of journalists reported experiencing at least one instance of online harassment over the past 12 months; 41.8% reported probable generalized anxiety, 67.8% probable depression, and 15.6% probable PTSD. Cumulative online harassment burden predicted higher anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress scores and significantly predicted the odds of meeting the clinical cutoff for probable generalized anxiety disorder and probable PTSD. Interventions designed to target these specific reactions may be useful in treating journalists exposed to online harassment. Full article

Depression, although a consequence of sexual violence, has not been studied in the context of college students’ views of campus sexual violence climate. Depression is one of the most prevalent and impairing mental health concerns among college students and has well-established links to sexual violence victimization; therefore, it serves as a theoretically and clinically meaningful focal outcome. Therefore, we assessed perceptions of institutional climate in the context of self-reported depression. Undergraduates (n = 716) reported perceptions and experiences of campus sexual violence and misconduct, connectedness, attitude, and depressive symptoms in an online survey. More than a third of participants reported elevated depressive symptoms. This was associated with campus connectedness and attitude, perceived campus climate, and personally experiencing rape, assault, or harassment. In a multivariate model, only the perceived climate variables did not retain significance. Elevated depressive symptoms were associated with connectedness and attitude towards the university and experiencing sexual harassment/assault. Understanding and explicitly addressing these connections may be beneficial for the effectiveness of campus prevention and intervention. Full article

Cyber-trauma has emerged as an important concern within online gaming environments, with growing implications for children’s mental health and well-being. Multiplayer games increasingly function as routine spaces for interaction, competition, and informal learning, which may expose young players to hostile behaviours such as harassment, hate speech, exclusion, and repeated targeting. Understanding the psychological consequences of these experiences and the protective role of family support is therefore essential. This study investigates the relationship between cyber-trauma victimisation (CV) and four mental health outcomes—depressive symptoms (DS), anxiety symptoms (AS), perceived stress (PS), and emotional distress (ED)—among Generation Alpha student gamers, while examining parental support as a moderating factor. Survey data were collected from 1223 students of diverse Arab nationalities enrolled in schools in Saudi Arabia, with Saudi nationals representing approximately 15% of the sample. The results indicate that CV is a strong and consistent predictor of all examined mental health outcomes. Higher levels of CV are significantly associated with increased depressive symptoms (β = 0.58), anxiety symptoms (β = 0.55), perceived stress (β = 0.52), and emotional distress (β = 0.60) (all p < 0.001). Parental support significantly moderates these relationships, weakening the association between cyber-trauma exposure and adverse psychological outcomes. These findings contribute to the growing literature on children’s digital well-being by demonstrating that online gaming environments can serve as meaningful psychosocial stressors for young players. The results further highlight the importance of family-centred protective mechanisms, suggesting that parental emotional support, guidance, and communication can play a critical role in buffering the mental health risks associated with hostile online interactions. Full article

Sexual harassment remains a widespread issue in higher education, with serious consequences, especially for women within the university setting. In this research, we explored the mediating role of psychological distress in the link between sexual harassment and coping strategies among women in higher education. In total, 637 women from the university community participated in this study, of whom 100 were victims of sexual harassment at their university. In Study 1, sexual harassment was found to predict higher levels of anxiety and depression, which were in turn associated with greater use of coping strategies focused on self-criticism, wishful thinking, and social withdrawal. In Study 2, sexual harassment predicted increased negative affect, which was subsequently associated with a stronger reliance on rumination. Taken together, the findings could suggest that the psychological distress women experience due to sexual harassment may determine their coping strategies. These results underscore the importance of adopting institutional measures that not only address the psychological impact of sexual harassment but also promote more adaptive coping strategies to reduce its long-term impact on women in higher education. Full article

Little research has examined how often biomedical trainees encounter mistreatment in a single day or how such momentary experiences may undermine engagement in training. To address this gap, we investigated the prevalence and short-term consequences of daily sexual harassment, racial mistreatment, and incivility among graduate students and post-doctoral fellows in U.S. biomedical programs. In Study 1, 404 National Institutes of Health-funded trainees completed a two-wave survey assessing mistreatment, mood, and program attitudes across two 24 h periods separated by 10 days. On either day, 36.9% of participants experienced or observed at least one mistreatment episode, with no differences by gender or underrepresented minority status. Day 1 mistreatment was significantly negatively associated with program attitudes 10 days later, suggesting short-term derailment effects. In Study 2, 21 participants responded to true accounts of peers’ mistreatment to describe their emotional reactions and expectations of mentors. Trainees reported anger, disgust, and betrayal, and emphasized the need for mentors to acknowledge these harms, intervene appropriately, and offer support. This study provides the first evidence of single-day mistreatment prevalence among biomedical health trainees and demonstrates that even brief exposures can degrade training program attitudes. Findings underscore the need for improved mentor training and institutional resources to protect and support trainees. Full article

Objective: This metasynthesis analyzes the current evidence on the perceptions of sexism among video game players (men and women) and the video game industry. Methods: The databases Scopus and ProQuest were used to select 15 qualitative studies in a final analysis. The analysis used the reciprocal translation technique to analyze and interpret the data. Results: Three primary themes emerged: normalized violence in gamer environments (n = 13), strategies to confront sexism/gender harassment (n = 10), and internal ambivalence and tension (n = 10). The results show that female videogame players experience daily hostility due to the fact of being women in an environment of male dominance. This leads to recurring confrontations, which can result in female video game players being questioned in terms of identity and behavior by both themselves and the community. Conclusions: This metasynthesis suggests that sexism in online video game environments is not an isolated phenomenon and directly affects the experience of female video game players. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of further exploring the perceptions and experiences of different groups within gamer communities, in order to make progress towards a more egalitarian and diverse culture. Full article

Background: Occupational gender segregation is a key driver of labor market inequality and is prominent across occupations, within occupations, and within workplace task groups. This paper explores how structural arrangements and cultural messages shape women’s preferences for working with men vs. women. With respect to structural arrangements, we analyze how women’s relative power on a team influences their partner preference. With respect to cultural messages, we examine how one common source of information that has the potential to either challenge or reify notions of gender difference—sexual harassment policy training—affects partner preference. Methods: We conducted a laboratory experiment in which we placed 100 college-aged women in positions they may commonly find themselves in at the start of a new job—identifying coworkers to partner with on group tasks—and varied (1) their relative power on the team (leader or helper) and (2) exposure to workplace training (sexual harassment or ergonomic computer setup). We then assessed their attitudinal and behavioral preference for working with a female vs. a male partner on a decision-making task. Results: Women, particularly women assigned to a leadership position, more often chose to work with a female partner. Sexual harassment training did not affect women leaders’ attitudes about working with a male partner but those in a helper role expressed more positive attitudes about working with a man after sexual harassment training. These findings document how macro-level processes can shape workplace gender segregation, thus identifying mechanisms underlying the reproduction of gender inequality. Full article

Background/Objectives: Workplace violence (WPV) is a major occupational concern in psychiatric settings, where mental health nurses (MHNs) are consistently identified as a high-risk professional group. Within this context, sexual violence (SV) remains understudied as a distinct phenomenon and is often embedded within aggregated measures of WPV. This systematic review aimed to synthesize the available evidence on SV against MHNs working in inpatient settings by: (1) describing its prevalence, forms, and characteristics; (2) examining psychological, occupational, and physical outcomes; and (3) identifying associated risk factors. Methods: This systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines and registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251103606). A literature search was performed across PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, and PsycInfo, supplemented by reference list checking and citation tracking. Peer-reviewed quantitative and qualitative studies published in English or Italian were eligible if they involved MHNs working in inpatient settings and addressed SV. Study selection, data extraction, and risk-of-bias assessment were conducted independently by two reviewers. A narrative synthesis following SWiM guidance was undertaken, and the certainty of evidence for statistically significant outcomes was assessed using the GRADE approach. Results: Twenty-five studies published between 2003 and 2025 were included. Definitions of SV varied substantially. Reported prevalence ranged from 0% to 68%, with verbal sexual harassment ranging from 19.5% to 53.4%, physical sexual harassment ranging from 14% to 42.9%, and sexual assault up to 18.6%. Evidence indicated associations between SV exposure and poorer quality of life, burnout, and days lost from work. The main risk factors included gender, age, education, work experience, employment type, acute psychiatric settings, night shifts, normalization of violence, and history of physical and sexual violence. Conclusions: SV against MHNs represents a relevant issue in psychiatric settings. Findings suggest significant psychological and occupational consequences. Standardized definitions and measurement, longitudinal research, and intervention studies are needed to inform effective prevention strategies and organizational responses. Full article

Sexual harassment (SH) remains widespread in workplaces and academic settings. Traditional compliance-based training has shown limited success in preventing SH or motivating bystander intervention. This study developed and tested a brief online empathy training module that can be completed in under 30 min that aims to help participants better understand and support people who experience SH and increase their willingness to intervene. Two experiments were conducted with U.S. adults recruited from the CloudResearch Connect platform (Study 1: 122 men and 140 women; Study 2: 132 men, 112 women, 4, other gender) who were randomly assigned to complete the SH empathy module, another empathy training module (burglary empathy training), time management training, a standard SH training module, or a waitlist control condition. Measures assessed empathy, perspective taking, and bystander intervention intentions. In Study 1, empathy correlated with bystander intentions, but there were no significant group differences; women reported higher empathy and bystander intentions than men. In Study 2, participants who received SH empathy training demonstrated higher empathy and perspective taking than those in other groups, and empathy improvements were associated with greater willingness to intervene. Gender did not moderate these effects. Overall, findings suggest that integrating a short empathy module into SH prevention programs can enhance readiness to act as supportive bystanders. Future research should assess the longevity of these effects and whether they translate into real-world behavioral change. Full article

In a sample of university employees, longitudinal data were examined to test a biopsychosocial model of whether exposure to workplace sexual harassment increases hazard for chronic disease, in the context of other known biological, psychological, and social risk factors for chronic disease. Proportional hazards multiple regression was used to predict incidence of first chronic disease across 23 years of follow-up based on experience of sexual harassment. Out of a sample of N = 525, 288 incident diagnoses were observed. Effects of harassment, drinking behavior, cigarette use, depressive symptoms, anxiety, and other work stressors were considered as either fixed at baseline or as time-dependent covariates in separate models, controlling for age and baseline occupational group, which were significantly associated with disease onset. Higher scores on reported workplace sexual harassment at baseline of the study were predictive of chronic disease incidence over the next 23 years (HR = 1.038 for each increase of one unit, p = 0.0133), adjusting for age and occupation. The effect was only partially attenuated when adjusting for depressive symptoms at baseline and alcohol intake throughout follow-up (HR = 1.031, p = 0.0475), the only other covariates tested that were consistently associated with chronic disease onset and included in final models. Considering the binary comparison of any versus no harassment at baseline revealed a stronger effect on chronic disease onset (HR = 1.437, p = 0.004), which again was attenuated after considering effects of baseline depressive symptoms and previous year alcohol use (HR = 1.357, p = 0.017). Experience of sexual harassment in the workplace was the only work stressor found to be significantly associated with an elevated risk of chronic disease onset across the study period. Full article