Women in Florida who hold supervisory positions at work may be even more likely to experience sexual harassment than their subordinates. According to a study conducted by researchers at the Swedish Institute for Social Research at Stockholm University of women in Sweden, the United States and Japan, women were 30% to almost 100% more likely to be sexually harassed at work in positions that gave them more power. The numbers only reversed for women who were at the very top positions for their career.
For Sweden, five data sets from the Swedish Work Environment Survey were used. This survey asked women whether they had faced sexual harassment in the past year based on the definition provided. This was considered a subjective survey. Researchers provided the same definition for participants in the U.S. and Japan, but they used two different survey methods. One gave a list of behaviors and asked if they had experienced them. The other was a subjective survey like the Swedish one.
In Sweden, 30% more women who were supervisors reported harassment compared to those who not. In the U.S., the percentage was 50% higher using the list and almost 100% higher using the subjective scale. In Japan, it was 30% higher with the list measure and almost 100% higher on the subjective measure.
People who are facing sexual harassment in the workplace may want to seek Boca Raton, Florida sexual harassment legal assistance. An attorney may be able to help a person determine whether the actions rise to the level of sexual harassment and how to proceed. It is usually best to follow workplace protocol in reporting sexual harassment, but if the workplace does not respond appropriately or the person faces retaliation for reporting, it might be necessary to file a lawsuit.
