• 18
  • November
    2011

We've written several stories about sexual harassment in California. We've written about the negative consequences women face at work -- from getting demoted or fired to other types of retaliation. However, we haven't written about the physical side effects of sexual harassment.

According to a recent article on Fox News, people who are victims of sexual harassment in the workplace face a variety of health concerns. Read the list below to learn about the most common side effects harassed individuals may face.

Depression is one of the most common long-term side effects of sexual harassment. Sadly, many people who are harassed question their self-worth and blame themselves for the harassment. The self-blame may contribute to depression, which can last for more than 10 years.

Some researchers also found a link between sexual harassment and post-traumatic stress disorder. When people suffer from PTSD, they are likely to re-experience the traumatic situation and avoid people that remind them of the harassment. One study showed that women who are harassed in the military are four times more likely to develop PTSD than women who experienced traumatic experiences in combat.

Because stress can cause physiological reactions, a rise in blood pressure is another common side-effect of sexual harassment. A 2008 study showed that women who were harassed at work had elevated blood pressure.

Many people think sexual harassment does not extend beyond the workplace. That is simply not the case. When a man or woman is sexually harassed at work, it can permeate into every other area of that person's life. Read more in our next post to learn about the other three ways that sexual harassment negatively impacts an individual's health.

Source: Fox News, "6 Ways Sexual Harassment Damages Women's Health," MyHealthNewsDaily, Nov. 9, 2011