Sexuality & Culture· 2026Q1
University Students’ Perceptions of Sexual Harassment in Sweden and Germany: A Qualitative Study
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- 2026year
Short summary
University students in Sweden and Germany perceive sexual harassment as deeply intertwined with gender dynamics, power imbalances, and expectations of safety, according to a qualitative study of 27 interviews.
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Key points
- Sexual harassment perceptions among German and Swedish university students were explored through 27 individual interviews.
- Three main themes emerged: gender dynamics, power imbalance/hierarchy, and expectations of safety.
- Findings indicate persistent gender dynamics and power imbalances influence perceptions of sexual harassment in academia.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Abstract Sexual harassment is a phenomenon that has been receiving more attention from the public and the scientific community for some time. Despite a growing body of research on the prevalence and potential consequences of sexual harassment in academia, there is still a shortage of studies comparing different countries, and especially studies on university students’ perceptions towards sexual harassment from a qualitative perspective. This study aims to explore how sexual harassment is perceived by German and Swedish university students, with a focus on the victims and perpetrators they believe are involved and the arenas in which students believe sexual harassment could happen. In this study, a total of 27 individual interviews were conducted with undergraduate and graduate university students in Sweden and Germany. In a thematic analysis of the material, three main themes were identified: (1) the role of gender dynamics, (2) power imbalance and hierarchy, and (3) expectations of safety. These findings underscore the persistence of perceived gender dynamics and power imbalances within the context of sexual harassment in academia.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Sexuality & Culture, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Gender Studies
Gender StudiesSocial Sciences