The Social is Personal: Examining Sexual Harassment in the Military Using Procedural and Interactional Justice Frameworks

• In Event: Crime and Justice Issues in the Military: Perspectives from the U.S. and U.K.

Abstract

The experience of sexual harassment can have devastating effects on both personal and work related outcomes. Within a total institution such as the military, the salience of the occupationally situated social identity as a military member is extremely high. Sexual harassment is a very powerful identity threat, and it is even more powerful in this context. However, when interactional justice in the workplace and procedural justice perceptions are high, the negative effects of sexual harassment can be ameliorated by protecting the social identity through affirming the position as a valued member of the group. Using data from the 2006 Work and Gender Relations Survey of Active Duty Members (WGRA 2006), this research seeks to show that the perception of interactional justice will moderate the effect of sexual harassment on personal outcomes, and perceptions of procedural justice specific to sexual harassment will moderate the effect of workplace outcomes.

Author

• Lenna Jones, University of Georgia