What determines the ‘culture of silence’? Disclosing and reporting sexual harassment among university employees and students at a large Swedish public university

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0319407
• Publication Date: 2025-03-26T21:25:58Z
• Authors: Per-Olof Östergren; Catarina Canivet; Ulrika Andersson; Anette Agardh
• Keywords: Harassment; Silence; Obligation

Background The MeToo-movement challenges the ‘culture of silence’ regarding sexual harassment (SH). There are few studies this phenomenon in academic settings. aim study was to investigate relationship between having reported or disclosed SH, on one hand, and background factors general health wellbeing exposed individuals, types SH perpetrator characteristics, other hand. Methods results A questionnaire sent all employees students at a large Swedish university returned by 33% (N = 2736) 32% 9677), respectively. This is based 469 2044 who affirmed that they had been university. Analyses were made means chi2 tests logistic regression. Among employees, 38.8% disclosed, i.e., talked someone about their experience, 17.3% formally reported, obligation act information. corresponding figures among 11.2% 4.0%. higher professional rank linked lower disclosing reporting behavior, although not statistically significantly. students, exposure attempted completed rape low rates (24.3%) (8.1%). An asymmetrical power associated with reporting; significant for only students. None health-related outcomes related reporting. Conclusions confirmed culture silence setting. Several this, which can be gendered relations society setting particular. Similar affected as well but seemed more pronounced