Here’s a bit of the press release, called: “Female Supervisors More Susceptible to Workplace Sexual Harrassment”, from ScienceDaily:

Women who hold supervisory positions are more likely to be sexually harassed at work, according to the first-ever, large-scale longitudinal study to examine workplace power, gender and harassment.

The study, which will be presented at the 104th annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, reveals that nearly fifty percent of women supervisors, but only one-third of women who do not supervise others, reported harassment in the workplace. In more conservative models with stringent statistical controls, women supervisors were 137 percent more likely to be harassed than women who did not hold managerial roles. While supervisory status increased the likelihood of harassment among women, it did not significantly impact the likelihood for men.

“This study provides the strongest evidence to date supporting the theory that sexual harassment is less about desire than about control and domination,” said Heather McLaughlin, a sociologist at the University of Minnesota and the study’s primary investigator. “Male co-workers, clients and supervisors seem to be using harassment as an equalizer against women in power.”

If you’re a working woman who wants to move your career forward, a success tip is to be prepared for harrassment. It seems inevitable!