Emerging paradigms of sexual harassment among healthcare workers in India: A cross-sectional study

Introduction: Sexual harassment in work settings is a burning and prevailing issue. Healthcare institutions are at risk due to organizational hierarchy and close work settings which predispose individuals to harassment. The present study was planned in healthcare institutions across India to study the emerging paradigms of sexual harassment. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted using a web-based self-administered anonymous questionnaire (pretested on 20 healthcare professionals using think-aloud technique and modified thereafter) through the snowball sampling method from August 15, 2021, to October 30, 2021. A total of 1211 individuals comprising various professional categories from healthcare institutions (medical colleges and hospitals) across India participated in the study. Results: Twenty-six per cent (317) of participants reported to have faced sexual harassment in the work settings, with 233 (45%) women and 84 (12.1%) men. Overall younger age group (26–35 years), nursing staff (39.3%), and female nursing staff (39.3%) reported more harassment ( p = 0.001). Unwanted physical contact was the most common form of sexual harassment across gender (81%), followed by E-sexual harassment. Workplace emerged as the most frequent place for sexual harassment (82.2%). Empowering school children was a novel bottom-up approach suggested by the participants. Conclusion: One in every four healthcare workers in the study had faced sexual harassment. The nursing staff was the most vulnerable. Workplace was the most common harassment setting, and E-sexual harassment indicates an emerging paradigm. Focus on nursing staff, cyber protection, and enactment of gender-neutral laws are the need of the hour to prevent sexual harassment.