Examining the immediate and enduring psychological impact of street harassment on women’s mental health
Abstract
Purpose
Many women report experiences of street harassment during their lifetime. Previous quantitative survey research has shown the variety of ways in which this type of harassment can impact upon a victim’s life, including restricting their freedom of movement and fear of further victimisation. The purpose of this study is understand the immediate and enduring psychological impact of street harassment on female victim-survivors.
Design/methodology/approach
The present study aims to explore, qualitatively, women’s experiences of street harassment through thematic analysis of on 35 online blog posts. Data were collected from the “Stop Street Harassment” website, where women are invited to share their experiences anonymously.
Findings
Three main themes were generated from the data. First was the age at which women began to experience street harassment, with recurring early incidents during formative childhood years. Second was the impact that experiences had on their mental health and psychological well-being with feelings of shame, fear, self-loathing, as well as decreased self-esteem and confidence experienced in the immediate aftermath – though the longer-term negative emotions reported were enduring feelings of anger alongside a constant state of anxiety from feelings of vulnerability to further victimisation. The final theme was the modification of behaviour after experiencing street harassment where women choose to avoid walking alone on the streets or consciously changed their clothing choices, to avoid being harassed.
Originality/value
This study offers a further qualitative insight into the real-life experience and psychological consequences of street harassment upon survivors’ mental health.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors thank the women who blogged about their experiences of street harassment, which made the current study possible, and to the “Stop Street Harassment” website, for creating a platform by which these experiences could be anonymously shared. The authors also thank Ruby-Faith Oak for her research assistance in reading, downloading and screening blog posts in the first instance.
Funding details: No funding received to carry out this research.
Disclosure statement: The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.
Citation
Thornton, G., Willmott, D., Richardson, E. and Hudspith, L. (2023), "Examining the immediate and enduring psychological impact of street harassment on women’s mental health", Mental Health and Social Inclusion, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-07-2023-0080
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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