# Aware but confused: conflicted between individual and collective responsibility. A grounded theory study of norms and organisational structures relating to sexual harassment among university students in southern Sweden

## TL;DR

University students in southern Sweden recognize sexual harassment but are confused about who is responsible, which may hinder reporting.

## Contribution

This study identifies a core conceptual conflict between individual and collective responsibility in understanding and responding to sexual harassment.

## Key findings

- Students are aware of sexual harassment but lack clarity on definitions and responsibility.
- Confusion about responsibility may reduce willingness to report incidents.
- Clear reporting pathways and transparency are needed to build trust in university systems.

## Abstract

Sexual harassment in contexts of higher education is a well-documented problem with far reaching consequences for individuals and organizations. Questions remain about how sexual harassment is conceptualized and what implications these conceptualizations have for designing programmes to prevent and respond to sexual harassment in university settings. This study aimed to understand how students conceptualize sexual harassment, focussing on the influence of perceived norms and organizational structures as explanatory mechanisms.

This grounded theory study utilized seven focus group discussions to collect data from students at Lund University, Sweden.

The analysis yielded one core category, “Aware but confused: conflicted between individual and collective responsibility”, supported by four categories reflecting different elements of conceptualizing and responding to sexual harassment. Sub-categories captured properties and dimensions of these categories along the continuum of individual to collective responsibility. The findings reflected an awareness among students of the occurrence of sexual harassment but confusion over definitions and assignment of responsibility. This confusion could have serious consequences for willingness to report cases of sexual harassment.

Building trust in the university system requires establishing common understandings of sexual harassment, clear and accountable pathways for reporting, and transparency of outcome when reports are made.