Journal Screenshot

International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

Open Access Journal

ISSN: 2222-6990

Coping Strategies Harassment and Perceived Insecurity; A Comparison Between Salesgirls and University Female Students

Aiman Almas, Syeda Mehreen Zahra, Ayesha Saddique

http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v12-i3/12162

Open access

The present research explored the difference in harassment, coping strategies, and perceived Insecurity between salesgirls and female university students of Pakistan. It was hypothesized that sale girls are likely to experience more harassment and perceived Insecurity than students. Also, coping strategies would mediate in the relationship between the Experience of harassment and perceived Insecurity. The sample consisted of 250 Pakistani females (130=students, 120= salesgirls). Experience of Harassment scale (Kauser, 2013), Perceived Insecurity Questionnaire (Kauser, 2015), and Coping Strategies Questionnaire (Kauser, 2001) were used for measuring the research variables. Data were analyzed through SPSS version 26. Correlation analysis, independent sample t-test, and mediation analysis were performed. Results indicated that there is a significant positive correlation between Experience of harassment and perceived Insecurity; two subscales of coping strategies (Active, practical coping subscale, and religious coping strategies) were negatively correlated with Experience of harassment and perceived Insecurity, while the other two subscales (Active distractive and avoidance focused coping subscale) were positively correlated. Results also denoted that Experience of harassment and perceived Insecurity was higher among salesgirls than students. Findings showed that coping strategies mediated the relationship between Experience of harassment and perceived Insecurity.

Anwar, F., Osterman, K., & Bjorkvist, K. (2019). Three Types of Sexual Harassment of Females in Public Places in Pakistan. Journal of Cotemporary Medicine. 9(1), 65-73. DOI: 10.16899/gopctd.468324
Bari, F. (2000). Women in Pakistan: Country briefing paper.
Carro, D., Valera, S., & Vidal, T. (2008). Perceived Insecurity in the public space: Personal, social and environmental variables. Quality & Quantity, 44(2), 303-
314. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-008-9200-0
Democracywatch. (2009). A Study on the Sales Girls of the Dhaka City. Retrieved from file:///C:/Users/CompCity/Desktop/sales%20girls/sales%20girl%20of%20dhaka%20city.pdf
Fairchild, K., & Rudman, L. A. (2008). Everyday Stranger Harassment and Women's Objectification. Social Justice Research, 21(3), 338-
357. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11211-008-0073-0
Folkman, S. (2013) Stress: Appraisal and Coping. In: Gellman M.D., Turner J.R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine. Springer, New York, NY.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9_215
Hill, G., & Hill, K. (2005). Harassment. In Free dictionary by Farlex. Retrieved December 3, 2020 from Https://legal-dictionary.thefreedictioary.com/Harassment
Kauser, R., & Farooq, M. (2001). Cognitive appraisal and coping strategies: How mothers cope with the care of a mentally retarded child. Indian Journal of Clinical Psychology. 28(2), 216-222. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324746395_Cognitive_Appraisal_and_Coping_Strategies_How_Mothers_Cope_with_the_Care_of_a_Mentally_Retarded_Child
Macmillan, R., Nierobisz, A., & Welsh, S. (2000). Experiencing the Streets: Harassment and Perception of Safety among Women. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency. 37(3), 306-322. DOI: 10.1177/0022427800037003003
Malik, S. (2011). Relationship between workplace harassment and post-traumatic stress symptoms among Pakistani female Health care professionals. [Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation]. University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
Pinna, A., Gannon, T. A., & Saunders, B. (2009). An overview of the literature on sexual harassment: Perpetrator, theory, and treatment issues. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 14(2), 126-138. DOI: 10.1016/j.avb.2009.01.002
Smith, M. M., Saklofske, D. H., Keefer, K. V., & Tremblay, P. F. (2015). Coping strategies and psychological outcomes: The moderating effects of personal resiliency. The Journal of Psychology, 150(3), 318-332. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223980.2015.1036828
Valera, S., & Guàrdia, J. (2014). Perceived Insecurity and Fear of Crime in a City with low-Crime Rates. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 38, 195-
205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2014.02.002
Vohlidalova, M. (2015). Coping Strategies for Sexual Harassment in Higher Education: "An Official Action May Harm you in the End More than if Someone Slaps your Butt". Sociologia. 47(3), 297-316. Retrieved from
file:///C:/Users/CompCity/Downloads/06291133Vohlidalova-zalomena_MV.pdf

In-Text Citation: (Almas et al., 2022)
To Cite this Article: Almas, A., Zahra, S. M., & Saddique, A. (2022). Coping Strategies Harassment and Perceived Insecurity; A Comparison Between Salesgirls and University Female Students. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 12(3), 281–294.