Women Athletes' Personal Responses to Sexual Harassment in Sport

Abstract

The examination of sexual harassment in sport has become an active research field within the past two decades. It is especially important for sport psychology consultants to understand this issue because they have professional opportunities to influence both individual and organizational responses to it. This article uses interview data from an investigation of sexual harassment in sport to examine the personal responses of 25 elite female athletes to their experiences of sexual harassment. The athletes reacted with disgust, fear, irritation, and anger when the sexually harassing incidents occurred. They also demonstrated individual, internally focused responses to the harassment rather than collective, externally focused ones. This suggests that sport organizations have much work to do on both education and organizational change if sexual harassment is to be challenged and eradicated. The findings also indicate that sport psychology consultants have a role to play in equipping athletes with the necessary skills to avert or confront sexual harassment in sport.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The research reported in this article was part of a project named: “The Norwegian Women Project” funded by the Norwegian Olympic Committee and Confederation of Sports and The Norwegian School of Sport Sciences. The authors also wish to express their thanks to the editor and anonymous reviewers for their very constructive help.