Awareness of Women Doing Team and Individual Sports in Türkiye About Being Exposed to Sexual and Psychological Harassment

Authors : İlkay Aydın, Erol Doğan, Burhan Başoğlu, Metin Bayrak

Pages : 87-96

Doi:10.18826/useeabd.1591651

View : 33 | Download : 18

Publication Date : 2025-03-27

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate the awareness of women doing team and individual sports in Türkiye about being exposed to sexual and psychological harassment. Method: A sexual harassment inventory was applied to athletes participating in 474 team and individual sports competitions. The chi-square test was used in statistical operations. Data were collected using the \\\"Sexual Harassment Inventory in Sports\\\" developed by Özen et al. (2018), which includes four sections: recognition of harassment behaviors, frequency and location of incidents, reactions and complaint mechanisms, and suggestions for prevention. The validity and reliability of the inventory were confirmed in prior studies, and internal consistency for the current sample was re-evaluated. Chi-square tests were applied to examine differences between team and individual sports. Results: While 2.58% of female athletes reported frequent sexual harassment, 14.12% experienced it occasionally, and 9.12% once. A majority (74.65%) reported no experience of such behavior. No statistically significant difference was found between team and individual sports in overall harassment exposure (p>0.05). However, significant differences were found in the frequency of sexually explicit jokes and forced sexual intercourse (p<0.05). Conclusion: Athletes in team and individual sports shared similar perceptions of sexual harassment. Establishing a dedicated institutional unit where athletes can safely report harassment was recommended to address and prevent such cases effectively in Turkish sports environments.
Keywords : Bireysel Sporlar, Psikolojik Taciz, Cinsel Taciz, Takım Sporları