Physical and psychological effects of dealing with sexual harassment Some of the most influential businesspeople, celebrities, and religious figures have been charged with sexual harassment. The media focus on high-profile firings and criminal trials that have taken place as a result of sexual harassment complaints. However, there has been relatively little focus on the emotional and physical impact of having been sexually harassed.
came forward years after the harassment took place. There are several reasons for these issues (Cortina & Areguin, 2021; Patrick, 2017): ● Fear of blame, disbelief, retaliation, and/or damage to career or reputation. ● Feelings of shame, embarrassment, or guilt (“Did I do something to ‘cause’ the harassment?”). ● Loss of job or loss of possible promotions. ● Conflicting emotions if the harasser was viewed as a friend or mentor until the sexual harassment occurred. ● Loss of agency in the reporting process. ● Fear/experience of reporting and investigation process (reliving, recounting potentially traumatizing experiences). In addition to the physical and emotional impact of sexual harassment, there is often a financial toll. Physical and emotional effects (physical illness, depression) may lead to absenteeism and negatively impact job performance and career progression (Cortina & Areguin, 2021). Some people leave their jobs (even jobs they love) to escape their harassers. Patrick (2017) pointed out, “Sexual harassment victims don’t quit jobs; they quit bosses.” Even if their immediate supervisors are not the harassers, victims may view the workplace as toxic and cite a lack of support from their employing organization. 3. Recovery or exhaustion: The body recovers and regains homeostasis with the resolution or management of stressors. However, if the stress continues unabated, the body becomes exhausted, and the impact of elevated cortisol and other hormones begins to affect health negatively. Although our body is relatively well equipped to tolerate and accommodate to stressors delivered in small doses, it can suffer serious effects resulting from chronic stress, such as what might happen from the experience of ongoing sexual harassment and filing a complaint about it. Three body systems are particularly affected by chronic stress (American Psychological Association, 2018; Harvard Health, 2020) including the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and immune systems. Cardiovascular system Stress leads to more rapid and forceful contractions. Blood pressure rises, and hypertension may occur if the stress is long term. Blood vessels constrict, which makes it harder for blood to reach body systems and provide the nourishment tissues and organs require. Stress also leads to the release of cholesterol into the bloodstream. This can lead to atherosclerotic plaque buildup in the coronary arteries, which increases the risk of a heart attack (Harvard Health, 2020). Research utilizing the Nurses’ Health Study II (NHS II), a longitudinal study of 115,000 adult female nurses that began in 1989, found that women who experienced sexual violence (sexual assault or sexual harassment) at some point over their lifetime were more likely to develop high blood pressure over a seven-year follow-up period. Women reporting a history of both sexual assault and sexual harassment had the highest risk of hypertension, pointing to the potential compounding effects of multiple traumas on cardiovascular health (Lawn et al., 2022).
People who have been (or are being) sexually harassed frequently experience mental health problems that can negatively impact their physical health. These issues do not cease with the successful conclusion (for the complainant) of a sexual harassment complaint. The effects of dealing with the harassment and filing a complaint can be long term (Cortina & Areguin, 2021; Patrick, 2017). Compounding the impact of sexual harassment is the fact that it is significantly underreported. Many victims of such harassment suffer in silence, and some continue to work in a toxic environment that allows harassment to exist and, in some cases, to flourish (Cortina & Areguin, 2021). The people reporting sexual harassment may often become stigmatized at work, especially if the charged harasser is popular or particularly valued by the organization. This stigma contributes to the mental health consequences faced by the reporting individual. Victims of sexual harassment are often bombarded with questions about why they did not come forward or why they Physical symptoms related to stress When faced with threatening circumstances, the body responds with a complex physiological reaction. When confronted by such circumstances, the hypothalamus releases a chemical messenger into the bloodstream that travels directly to the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland responds to this messenger by producing adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). ACTH travels through the bloodstream until it reaches the adrenal glands. ACTH stimulates the adrenal cortex to produce corticoids, which work to release the body’s stored energy (Harvard Health, 2020). The hypothalamus also stimulates the medulla of the adrenal gland to produce epinephrine. Epinephrine produces rapid, short-term high energy levels to deal with the stressor. Heart rate and blood pressure are elevated, digestion slows, sweating increases, and all the senses become more acute. Energy levels increase, muscle tension increases, and bronchi dilate, facilitating air entry into the lungs (Harvard Health, 2020). All people experience stress at one time or another. The body responds to stress is the general adaptation syndrome (GAS), which has three phases (Harvard Health, 2020): 1. Alarm: Alarm is the flight-or-fight response. The autonomic nervous system is activated, and there is an adrenaline surge. All body systems rally, and the body increases the energy needed to either flee from the stressor or confront it. 2. Resistance: The body works to regain homeostasis during the resistance. Coping and adaptation take place. Because the body cannot maintain the high energy levels of the alarm stage, it redirects the stress response to a manageable level. Resistance occurs with the assumption that the stressful circumstances are resolved or manageable.
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