Sexual Harassment of Women, a ‘searing’ report published by the National Academies, points to the urgency of addressing sexual harassment in higher education. Nearly 50% of women in science, engineering, and medicine report having experienced sexual harassment. Co-chair Dr. Paula Johnson, cardiologist and president of Wellesley College, noted that gender harassment, “verbal and nonverbal behaviors that convey hostility, objectification, exclusion or second-class status, was by far the most common type women experienced. As opposed to the come-ons, you can kind of think of them as the put-downs.” Other highlights here in the Inside Higher Ed article by Colleen Flaherty.
Current approaches to sexual harassment prevention, such as compliance and liability-focused efforts, have not been effective in reducing the incidence of harassment on campus. The report offers a number of suggestions for research-informed prevention efforts, captured in this short video. Flaherty points to the importance of deterrence, states that “systems in which there are clear prohibitions against unacceptable behaviors and harassers are held accountable have lower rates of sexual harassment.