DefinePK

Abstract

Workplace harassment negatively impacts job performance, health, and psychological well-being of the victims. Harassment often comes from individuals in positions of power or peers. Academia has been slow to address this issue due to sociocultural biases and concerns about reputation. This study examined women university teachers' perceptions and experiences of three forms of harassment: discriminatory, personal, and verbal. Using a thematic analysis, in-depth interviews were conducted with twelve women teachers at a public sector university in Lahore. Criterion sampling strategy was used. Only those women who had already registered their complaints with the institutional harassment committee were contacted and made part of the study after taking consent from them. Those women who left their jobs after registering the complaints were excluded. Participants were asked to describe their experiences of being harassed and how it has affected their lives. The interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using deductive thematic analysis. The emerging themes included job dissatisfaction, insecurity, helplessness, low work motivation, psychological distress, anger, and lack of trust in administration. The findings of the qualitative study revealed that workplace harassment caused extreme distress, leading to deterioration in job performance, relationships, health, and well-being. Factors discouraging victims from reporting included legal loopholes, ineffective solutions, and lack of awareness. Barriers in law implementation need revisiting to facilitate access and action against harassment for academicians. The study emphasizes promoting a safe and respectful workplace environment that fosters gender equality, dignity, and respect.