“It was just a Touch”: Perspectives of Adolescents on Sexual Harassment in India

Abstract

Sexual harassment remains a pervasive global issue, varying in prevalence across countries. In India, it’s particularly challenging due to cultural norms and lack of awareness, leading to high incidence of cases in public and private spaces which negatively impacts individuals’ overall well-being (Gupta and Kishore, 2019). A Journal of Gender Studies research highlighted unreported cases due to fear, stigma, and inadequate support (Jones et al., 2021). Cultural norms, gender inequality, and awareness gaps deter reporting and hence creating an empowered environment is crucial to encourage survivors to speak out against harassment. This study aimed to explore the youth’s perceptions on prevalence and motivations for sexual harassment. Focus group discussion (n=9) was conducted to gain insights regarding the perceived dispositional and societal antecedents to sexual aggression as well as the consequences of victim blaming. The data was analysed using thematic analysis. The emergent themes ranged from fear for the safety of self, shifting of blame to other factors and the consequences of it. In conclusion, the consequences and the broader impact of such views held on an individual level are discussed.