Sexual harassment does not just occur in the moment. Its effects echo for years, causing physical and mental distress. It’s not fair that someone’s quality of life would be affected this way. That’s why it is important that we take steps to stop it from happening in the first place.

The Long-Term Consequences of Sexual Harassment

Athletic coaches of middle schoolers can teach boys to better respect their female peers.

Diagnosis Life summary:
Enough of the boys will be boys mentality. It is time for adults to teach young boys how to respect girls. A study in JAMA Pediatrics (https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.5217) assessed the effectiveness of an intervention called Coaching Boys into Men. The program, led by middle school coaches, targeted athletes between 11 and 14 years old and had three goals. First, it aimed to encourage respectful behaviors. It also promoted gender-equitable attitudes. Finally, it tried to get boys to intervene when they saw their peers doing the wrong thing. The study followed 973 boys over a year. It found that they were twice as likely to step up to report disrespectful behaviors than athletes at schools that did not have the program. “Coaches who teach young male athletes about respectful relationship behaviors may be able to help prevent dating violence and aggressive behavior toward female peers.”

A history of sexual harassment in the workplace may lead to health problems in middle-aged women.

Diagnosis Life summary:
The #MeToo movement may have picked up steam. Still, there has been little accountability for many of the men (and women) that have sexually harassed others. There are, however, long-term consequences for those harassed or assaulted. A study in JAMA Internal Medicine (https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.4886) finds that “victims of sexual assault suffer high rates of depression, anxiety and sleeplessness; victims of sexual harassment have elevated rates of high blood pressure and sleep loss.” Sexual harassment is not just a social issue. It is a major health issue.

Sexual harassment increases the risk of depression.

Diagnosis Life summary:
Flight attendants have taken a lot of abuse over the years and much of it has gone unpunished. A study in Frontiers in Psychology (https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01181) looked at approximately 4,500 American and Canadian women in the Harvard Flight Attendant Health Study. Approximately 26% of these women reported sexual harassment in the workplace within the past year. There were more likely to develop depression as a result. Their risk increased 44% if harassment happened one time. That number increased to 83% if harassment occurred 2 or 3 times. It was as high as 412% if they were harassed 4 times or more! It’s long past time for workplaces to step up and make policies that protect their employees.