Examining Perceptions of Sexual Harassment among Recent Female Graduates in the Workplace

Abstract

The aim of the study was to examine perceptions of sexual harassment among recent female graduates in Johannesburg. A qualitative methodology was used to assess participants’ perception of sexual harassment in the workplace. There were eight black unmarried women who volunteered to participate in the study. The snowballing technique was used to recruit participants. Participants were graduates from universities and tertiary colleges. The women were interviewed and the data was analysed qualitatively using thematic content analysis. The results showed that sexual harassment was perceived negatively as a violation of human rights, even though the concept was understood differently by participants. Directions for future research could focus on enablers and inhibitors of reporting sexual harassment among recent graduates in the workplace.