What We Know: An Evidence Review of What We Know About Sexual Harassment and Dating Violence

The #MeToo and #TimesUp movements have called unprecedented attention to sexual harassment and assault. What the national dialogue is currently lacking, however, is a proactive discussion on ways to engage young and adult men in ending sexual harassment beyond the typical one-off discussion, lecture, speech, or short training. Furthermore, sexual harassment is often addressed in isolation rather than in the context of pervasive, underlying, and persistent gender inequalities in the United States.

This paper provides a summary of key data on the causes and responses surrounding sexual harassment and dating violence, paying particular attention to factors that drive perpetration and to preventative measures practitioners and researchers have developed to prevent further victimization. We also pinpoint a number of gaps in research and programmatic approaches. This review should be considered an brief synopsis of the vast amount of research on sexual harassment, focusing on recurring themes observed across literature in the past ten to fifteen years.