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Young Men’s Attitudes and Neighborhood Risk Factors for Sexual Harassment Perpetration in the United States

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Abstract

Sexual harassment is a pervasive problem predominantly perpetrated by men. Creating cultural shifts to prevent men’s sexual harassment perpetration requires attention to community as well as individual factors. Study data were collected from a cohort of 768 youth and young adult males ages 10–18 at baseline (2013), with follow-up 3 years later. Multivariable regression was applied to assess the role of neighborhood characteristics, including crime rates, gender equality, and concentrated disadvantage, adjusting for individual sociodemographics and views on traditional gender stereotypes. The self-reported prevalence of sexual harassment perpetration was 8.8%. In neighborhoods characterized by greater concentrated disadvantage, the likelihood of male sexual harassment perpetration was significantly lower than in neighborhoods characterized by greater advantages. Relative neighborhood advantage was associated with sexual harassment perpetration even controlling for the significant positive association between espousing traditional gender stereotypes and perpetration of sexual harassment. The relative rates of neighborhood crime and gender equality did not predict young males’ sexual harassment perpetration. In sum, young men’s perpetration of sexual harassment behaviors is more common in more advantaged communities, underscoring the importance of awareness that, beyond individual attitudes, there is a collective social influence on individual behavior.

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Acknowledgements

Points of views in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice or any other organization. The authors appreciate the support of Eva Bahrami. The authors have no competing interests to declare.

Funding

This study was funded by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice (Grant No. 2016-VF-GX-0007).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. NORC at the University of Chicago, 4350 East-West Highway, 8th Floor, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA

    Elizabeth A. Mumford

  2. NORC at the University of Chicago, 55 East Monroe Street, 30th Floor, Chicago, IL, 60603, USA

    Nnenna Okeke

  3. School of Public Health, Boston University, 801 Massachusetts Ave, Crosstown Center 3rd Floor, Boston, MA, 02118, USA

    Emily Rothman

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Correspondence to Elizabeth A. Mumford.

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Mumford, E.A., Okeke, N. & Rothman, E. Young Men’s Attitudes and Neighborhood Risk Factors for Sexual Harassment Perpetration in the United States. J Community Health 45, 245–251 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-019-00738-2

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