Predicting the Decision to Report Sexual Harassment: Organizational Influences and the Theory of Planned Behavior

Abstract

Research suggests that only a small percentage of sexual harassment targets report their experiences to a superior or file a formal complaint. This conceptual paper integrates organizational factors gleaned from the sexual harassment literature, with the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1991) to predict the decision to report workplace sexual harassment. I propose that climate of tolerance of sexual harassment, organizational justice, leader trust, and coworker support influence the target’s attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control regarding reporting, which in turn determines the formation of the intention to report. Intention and actual behavioral control then predict actual reporting behavior. Sexual harassment is a serious problem in the workplace and a major social issue with pervasive negative effects (e.g. Richman et al., 1999). Workplace sexual harassment has been defined as “unwanted sex-related behavior at work that is appraised by the recipient as offensive, exceeding her resources, or threatening her well-being” (Fitzgerald, Swan, & Magley, 1997, p. 20). Research suggests