Harassment In Corrections

While the previous literature has found significant consequences for sexual harassment occruing in the workplace, Berdahl & Aquino, 2009; Brady et al., 2015; Ford et al., 2008; Hershcovis & Barling, 2010; Ineson et al., 2013; Lapierre et al., 2005; McDonald, 2012; & O’Farrell & Nordstrom, 2013), there is little research looking at sexual harassment of females in correctional settings. Szockyj (1989) assessed the role of female correctional officers in regards to their feelings about the work environment and their fellow male officer’s feelings, as well. When Szockyj asked the male officers about their opinions regarding the female officers and physical abilities, many male officers stated that they did not feel as safe having a female officer
Additionally, none of these interventions focus on sexual harassment in a correctional workplace. Sexual harassment in a prison setting not only impacts the female, but it also has a negative impact on the prison as a whole. This impact may include other officers, supervisors, and even the inmates. If a female is experiencing burnout or other psychological consequences due to being sexually harassed at work, she may not be able to effectively do her job, which may cause a dangerous situation, such as a fight or riot, in the prison. Although this problem is documented, reporting of sexual harassment in the workplace, as well as prison setting, is very low. This may be due to intimidation factors, power struggles, or lack of knowledge from the females. While sexual harassment can and will impact the prison as a whole, reporting is sole up to the female that is experiencing the harassment. Therefore, the target group for this intervention would be the female officers. If the female officers do not feel comfortable, are not aware of how to report, or are simple afraid to report, then chances are they are not going to. Henceforth, this intervention will aim to bring more awareness and a sense of trust to the female officers to help them report their sexual
76). To apply this to the current problem, female officers will learn how to act in the prison setting by watching and observing the other officers and supervisors they interact with. Additionally, as Gruber (1998) found, female officers who are exposed to male officers are more susceptible to experiencing sexual harassment. The exposure that a female officer has with other male officers may additionally expose her to sexist stimuli and beliefs from the male officers, as suggested in Ford et al., (2008). This will then impact the female officers’ beliefs. The relationship between the exposures of the female officers with other male officers to the beliefs of the female officers that a female should not work in corrections is positive. This suggests that as a female officer has more interactions with other male officers and male supervisors, the more likely she is to develop the schema that females should not work in