Workplace Sexual Harassment: Comparing the Experiences of Heterosexual and Queer Women in Urban China

This study investigates workplace sexual harassment (WSH) among 2,031 women across four major Chinese cities, including 384 queer women, offering one of the first large-scale analyses of sexual minority women's experiences in the contemporary Chinese context. Results reveal that queer women experience higher prevalence, greater variety, and more frequent WSH than heterosexual women. Patterns of perpetration also diverge: queer women are disproportionately harassed by colleagues, whereas heterosexual women more often face harassment from clients. Multivariate analyses further reveal the influence of age, employment status, housing insecurity, and endorsement of traditional gender norms, while knowledge of legal protections and social support reduces vulnerability. These findings highlight the disadvantages faced by both heterosexual and queer women in urban China and emphasize the urgent need for targeted legal, organizational, and cultural interventions to safeguard women, especially sexual minorities, in the workplace.