Sexual Harassment and Gender Discrimination in the Active-Component Army: Variation in Most Serious Event Characteristics by Gender and Installation R

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To better understand sexual harassment and gender discrimination in the Army, RAND Arroyo Center researchers developed profiles of soldiers' most serious experiences. This report outlines common behaviors, characteristics of alleged perpetrators, and the typical times and locations where these incidents occur, highlighting differences between high-risk and non-high-risk installations. While women's and men's experiences at high-risk installations are broadly similar, significant differences exist in their overall experiences within the active-component Army. Women are more likely to face gender discrimination, repeated unwanted romantic advances, and sexual comments about their appearance. In contrast, men are more often told they do not conform to traditional masculine behavior. Soldiers frequently encounter multiple forms of harassment and discrimination, with women experiencing a greater variety of behaviors on average. Commonalities in experiences include incidents occurring during work hours and involving offensive discussions or jokes about sex.