Understanding the Mental Health Impacts of Sexual Harassment
Harassment of any kind can profoundly affect those who experience it, leaving lasting emotional scars. The power imbalance, violation of personal boundaries, and repeated nature of the harassment often lead to emotional distress, anxiety, fear, helplessness, and lasting psychological trauma. Sexual harassment, in particular, can have even more complex and long-term effects on the survivor due to its deeply personal and invasive nature.
What Is Sexual Harassment?
Sexual harassment is any unwanted behavior of a sexual nature that creates feelings of discomfort, fear, humiliation, or insecurity. It can take many forms, such as inappropriate comments, jokes, physical contact, or advances, and can occur in a variety of environments, including public spaces and workplaces. It can also happen online, through explicit messages, images, or content shared via text, email, or social media. Sharing intimate images or videos without consent, especially with the intent to harm, is also considered sexual harassment. Research suggests that 81% of women and 43% of men have experienced sexual harassment at some point in their lives. Studies also indicate that women of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities are at an increased risk of sexual harassment. It is estimated that 90% of all sexual harassment cases go unreported. Survivors may be reluctant to report due to fear of retaliation, especially when the other party has significantly higher power and can impact their public image and livelihood. A culture of blaming the victim and a system that favours perpetrators also discourages people from taking action.
Impact of Sexual Harassment
Survivors of sexual harassment often experience both short-term and long-term impacts on their emotional and psychological wellbeing. Immediately after the experience, they may feel shock or disbelief, struggling to process what has happened. Feelings of anger and confusion are also common. Unfortunately, the culture of victim-blaming can lead survivors to internalize guilt, causing them to blame themselves for the incident. This emotional turmoil can disrupt everyday life, affecting concentration, work, and relationships. If the harasser remains unreported and continues to be part of their environment, victims may feel hypervigilant and anxious. Over time, they could develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), experiencing flashbacks and nightmares about the incident. Since harassment typically involves a violation of personal boundaries, it can leave victims feeling disrespected, powerless, and devalued. This often leads to trust issues and difficulty forming or maintaining close relationships due to a fear of further betrayal.
Sexual Harassment Has Lasting Effects
Survivors deserve to be heard, supported, and given the space to heal and reclaim their sense of safety and self-worth. Through honest conversations and real accountability, we can begin to change the culture and offer the kind of support that truly helps people heal.
