Male/Female Differences in Perceptions and Effects of Hostile Environment Sexual Harassment: “Reasonable” Assumptions?

Two recent court decisions have dealt with the appropriate legal standard for determining reasonableness in hostile environment sexual harassment cases. This paper discusses the “reasonable woman” standard adopted by these courts and explores the notion that gender-based differences in definition of sexually harassing behaviors do, in fact, exist. And secondly, the paper investigates the issue of gender-based differences in the emotional and psychological effects of hostile environment harassment. Data from a major survey of sexual harassment in the federal workplace are analyzed.