Gender Differences in Perceptions of Sexual Harassment among Students at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Abstract

Sexual harassment is a form of gender-based violence that includes unwanted physical, verbal, or non-verbal actions of a sexual nature. It can occur in various settings. Forms of harassment include physical contact, verbal remarks, inappropriate comments, the display of pornographic materials, and unwanted sexual attention. Most affected are women, especially younger, unmarried women, with a lower level of education, as well as women in certain personal or professional circumstances. The aim of the study was to examine students' perceptions and attitudes of the severity of various forms and the presence of sexual harassment, incidence in different settings, circumstances, as well as the personal experiences of sexual harassment. Respondents completed an online questionnaire distributed via social media in 2024., and the sample included students at undergraduate, graduate, and integrated levels at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Split (N = 114). The results showed gender differences in perceptions of verbal and non-verbal forms of sexual harassment, with young women perceiving both forms more seriously compared to young men. Differences were also observed regarding the prevalence of sexual harassment in different settings, with young women perceiving streets, public transportation, and nightclubs/bars as places in which it occurs the most. Their attitudes also differed regarding suitable punishment for the sexual perpetrators. Young women thought that sexual perpetrators should get harsher punishment and be imprisoned compared to young men.