Abstract
Sexual harassment (SH) has predominantly been conceptualised as an issue experienced by women, with the prevailing narrative centred on the 'ideal victim'—a young, white, cisgender, able-bodied, heterosexual woman. This view remains entrenched within public discourse, academic scholarship, and institutional frameworks, marginalising the experiences of individuals who do not align with this profile. The concept intersectionality critiques this understanding, asserting that different groups experience distinct forms of harassment due to their positionality within intersecting systems of power. Given its high rates of SH, this project aims to get an in-depth understanding of SH conceptualisation within higher education (HEI) and thereby contribute to its intersectional theoretical development. First, it critically assesses whether existing literature approaches SH in HEI in an inclusive manner or whether it reinforces exclusionary conceptualisations. Second, it examines how intersecting positionalities situated in broader systems of power affect the prevalence and experiences of SH in HEI. Third, it aims to understand how individuals with certain positionalities interpret SH within HEI. Finally, it explores how HEI constructs SH policies and whether it meaningfully incorporates intersectionality or treats it as an additive framework. Through a combination of quantitative and qualitative research, this project contributes to an inclusive and nuanced understanding of SH in HEI.
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