Using a digital app to monitor the effects of sexual harassment on mental health
| Date | 26 December 2023 |
| Pages | 959-969 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-10-2023-0107 |
| Published date | 26 December 2023 |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Social inclusion |
| Author | Amina Muazzam,Aqsa Shabbir,Naveed Iqbal,Muhammad Faran,Mubeena Munir,Fatima Kamran |
Using a digital app to monitor the effects of
sexual harassment on mental health
Amina Muazzam, Aqsa Shabbir, Naveed Iqbal, Muhammad Faran, Mubeena Munir and
Fatima Kamran
Abstract
Purpose –Sexual harassment on publictransport puts women at risk of mental health problems, apart
from disrupting theirlives and the harmful social consequences.This is especially the case for Pakistani
women, forwhom sexual harassment has been on the rise for the past decade.This study aims to explore
how Pakistani womenuse strategies to cope with sexual harassmentwhen using public transport and its
mediatingrole in their issues with mental health.
Design/methodology/approach –Given that the datacollection task on such a culturally sensitivetopic
was crucial, a mobile application for anonymized data collection was used, which appeared to be an
effective strategy. Usingthe mobile application, 1,054 women who use public transport submitted their
responses; however, the analysis is based on 250 usable responses. Their experience of harassment
was measured using the Sexual Harassment Experience Questionnaire, their mental health using the
DepressionAnxiety Stress Scales and theircoping strategies by the Brief Cope Inventory.
Findings –The results indicate that adaptive copingis a significant negative mediatorbetween sexual
harassment andmental well-being, whereas maladaptivecoping is non-significant. Adaptive coping,i.e.
‘‘Acceptance’’to admit the reality that the problem exists with all, and ‘‘Religion’’to seek help spiritually to
deal with the problem.Unfortunately, the findings show no suitablecoping means to deal with the impact
of sexual harassment onwomen who travel on public transport. This study also illustrates that using the
right technologiescan encourage participantsto submit responses for culturally sensitivetopics.
Originality/value –This study provides insight into the experience of street harassment in Pakistani
women and how it is related to mental health. This study also explores the role of adaptive and
maladaptivecoping as an intervening variablebetween street harassment andmental health.
Keywords Mental health, Digital transformation
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
For the past two decades, research on sexual harassment has focused, for the most part,
on Western countries, with onlya few studies examining non-Western countries with diverse
sociocultural belief systems (Parish et al.,2006). For example, a study in India, a country
with traditional gender attitudes, has suggested that sexual harassment could be explained
as part of its patriarchal societyin which men are the aggressors and women are supposed
to be shy and reclusive, particularly in their sexual behavior (Sigal and Jacobsen, 1999).
Pakistan has similar culturalattitudes toward women, placing them in a vulnerableposition.
Definitions of sexual harassment vary, and some do not encompass abuse on public
transport (Allen, 2018). One definition is “unwanted sexual conduct deliberately perpetrated
by the harasser, resulting in sexual, physical or psychological abuse of the victim
regardless of location, whether in the workplace, the street, public transportation,
educational institution or even in private space” (Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights,
2008). Sexual harassment on public transport generally targets women, and they often
begin to experience it as early as in their formative childhood years (Thornton et al.,2023).
Amina Muazzam is based
at the Department of
Applied Psychology,
Lahore College for Women
University, Lahore,
Pakistan. Aqsa Shabbir is
based at the Department of
Electrical Engineering,
Lahore College for Women
University, Lahore,
Pakistan. Naveed Iqbal is
based at the Department of
Mass Communication,
Lahore College for Women
University, Lahore,
Pakistan. Muhammad
Faran is based at the
Department of Professional
Psychology, Bahria
University, Islamabad
Campus, Islamabad,
Pakistan. Mubeena Munir is
based at the Department of
Applied Psychology,
Lahore College for Women
University, Lahore,
Pakistan. Fatima Kamran is
based at the Institute of
Applied Psychology,
University of the Punjab,
Lahore, Pakistan.
DOI 10.1108/MHSI-10-2023-0107 VOL. 28 NO. 6 2024, pp. 959-969, ©Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2042-8308 jMENTAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL INCLUSION jPAGE 959
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