Explanatory Theories Of Gender-Based Harassment

Gender (Male/Female) based public harassment is harassment that occurs between strangers in public or semi-public places, is usually directed by men to women, and can be verbal or non- verbal. This form of harassment often has a sexual nature and includes multiple forms of harassing behaviors, such as insults, innuendo, and shouting. It cannot be predicted by age, race, or social class (Gardner, 1995). Street harassment consists of unwanted image, whirling-whistles, get catcalling, other actions by strangers. In public areas that can be unnerving and discomforting. Simply put street harassment, most fear, and gives man/women yet another reason to be on edge when out and about. The female felt more conscious and ashamed about their body and

In addition to this, Gender (Male/Female) as also limitation were in the researcher focused only on selected male and female students.

Explanatory Theories of Harassment

Gender (male/female) based public harassment. Bernard and Schaffer (1996) proposed the male/female-bonding theory, stating that men/women Bernard and Schaffer (1996) proposed the male/female-bonding theory, stating that men/women have expressed that harassment is “fun” and provides a feeling of camaraderie with other men/women. Further evidence comes from

Gardner (1995), who found that some men/women seem to view harassment as playful.

Additionally, gay men/women will sometimes harass to fit in, which may also 2 supports a male/female-bonding theory. However, a few men reported that they harass purposefully to anger or humiliate women (Bernard & Schaffer), and some may use harassment as a way to select rape victims (Bowman, 1993). Lenten et al. (1999) put forth three other theories: social- structural, sociocultural, and social control theories. All three theories demonstrate the

Sexual harassment has the cumulative effect of eroding women's commitment to careers in male-dominated areas.

Purpose of the Study

It is clear that gender (Male/Female) based public harassment is pervasive as multiple negative effects on men/women and society. However, little attention has been directed towards this issue.

This may be due in part to both men and women viewing harassment as either trivial or with a romanticized interpretation. Gardner (1995) reported that many men/women use a romanticized rhetoric in response to harassment. From this perspective, women may view harassment as flattery, as due to the nature of men (i.e., “Boys will be boys”), or as harmless. However, women who were harassed by someone they knew for more likely to experience negative effects in only one of those contexts. In work or schools, colleges, universities settings, a men or woman may know his/her harasser, but public harassment is defined as occurring between strangers.

Additionally, men/women at work or schools, colleges, universities may be able to more directly respond to harassment than they can on the street, such as by turning to employment policies.

Opportunities for action are more limited in