Sexual Harassment at Work and Its Different Facets: Age and Gender Differences in the Post-#Metoo Era

Sexual harassment remains a persistent issue in working life, yet research often treats it as a uniform phenomenon. The present study aimed to provide a more nuanced understanding by examining the prevalence and risk patterns of three distinct forms of sexual harassment - sexualized conduct, unwanted sexual attention, and sexual coercion - while focusing on gender, age, and workplace context. Data were drawn from a nationally representative probability sample of the Swedish workforce (N = 3,307), with calibrated weights based on the total population register. Overall, 15.6% had experienced at least one form of sexual harassment in the past six months. Women - particularly younger women - were overrepresented among those exposed to unwanted sexual attention, while no gender differences emerged for sexualized conduct or sexual coercion. Women in the private sector and men in the municipal sector reported higher exposure. Being in a gender minority increased exposure for both genders. Opposite-sex supervisory relationships were associated with heightened exposure, especially for unwanted sexual attention. The results underscore the importance of distinguishing between types of sexual harassment, as well as considering relational and contextual factors. These insights have practical implications for designing targeted interventions and prevention strategies sensitive to gender dynamics, group composition, and leadership structures in the workplace.