Book Review
Gender Issues 
Clinical Aspects of Sexual Harassment and Gender Discrimination. Psychological Consequences and Treatment Interventions Sharyn Ann Lenhard. New York: Brunner-Routledge; 2004. 233 p. US$34.95.
Reviewer
rating*: Good
Review by: Dr Anne Josiukas
Collingwood, Ontario
Gender discrimination and sexual harassment in academia and the workplace can result in serious psychological damage leading to illness and disability. Dr Sharyn Ann Lenhard is a noted forensic expert in women’s mental health. Her book is designed for clinicians, managers, attorneys, and others interested in this field. Background information on the phenomena of discrimination and harassment is used as a springboard for discussion of psychological sequel are in this small, reasonably priced hardcover.
The book is not intended to be exhaustive or to summarize all the current research, although the citations of previous work are extensive. It starts with definitions of gender and sex, discrimination, and sexual harassment, noting that gender discrimination is usually perceived as a women’s mental health issue. Sexual harassment and gender discrimination appear together and are deliberately joined throughout the text. Authorities note that women who tend to transcend traditional female roles are more likely to be aware of harassment and discrimination. Women who report sexual harassment in their workplace also tend to believe their organization discriminates against women.
The book is organized into 8 chapters discussing gender trends in the workplace, the dynamics of victim–perpetrator interactions, and the physical, emotional, and psychiatric disorders that may result from sexual harassment and gender discrimination. A chapter is devoted to understanding the legal process in the US. This is geared to a clinician who has never been involved in legal action. Separation of the therapist role from that of the expert witness is stressed. The last 3 chapters focus on a 9-step treatment approach, subdividing intervention into 3 stages of alliance building and crisis intervention; processing affect and cognitions with formulations of an effective plan of action; and the final stages of mourning, recovery, and reinvestment. The book has many case vignettes, which Dr Lenhart perfectly places to pace the reading of the text. Just when the reader is feeling overwhelmed with a concept, a vignette appears and makes it real. The author acknowledges that these are composites of cases; some vignettes are strikingly similar. Unfortunately, some of the cases are disturbing. Many describe accomplished women in academic or medical establishments who have suffered unthinkable situations. The parallels between these and the circumstances of spousal abuse are well made.
The vignettes also raise the topics of boundaries in the workplace. This serious topic is rarely discussed, except in women’s magazines—usually in the Christmas issue involving the do’s and don’ts of the office party. This discussion of boundaries makes the book worthwhile for student advisors or mentors, as well as for senior female staff who may act as role models. Organizations’ administrators and policy-makers may find useful information as they review their written and unwritten workplace expectations.
Generally, the public feels that sexual harassment can and should be handled by the individual herself speaking directly and assertively with the harasser. Interestingly, the empirical evidence does not support the view that this approach is effective and beneficial for the victim. In fact, a series of studies have shown that assertive, direct approaches can result in continued harassment and a high incidence of punitive responses from the harasser in the work environment, resulting in more distress to the victim. This type of information may be useful to clinicians working with women who have been harassed. Chapter 7 is a helpful tool, even for experienced therapists, as the patient weighs her options for action in the workplace. The advantages and disadvantages of directly confronting the harasser or of employing indirect methods of approach (such as accessing third party assistance), formal complaints, and legal actions are all reviewed. A section on special approaches allows for consideration of individualized action plans.
The last chapter focuses on the final phase of treatment, which is often ignored or dismissed after the complications of harassment are over. Most women suffer significant losses in the course of their discriminatory experiences. These losses may be material (loss of job, income, status), personal (marriage or friendship) and internal (shattered beliefs). Significant work must be done in this arena before a woman can reinvest in her future.
Reading a textbook is often approached with some degree of trepidation, but this book is only 233 pages, written in an easy-to-read style, and punctuated by case vignettes. As a clinician and teacher, I found reading it to be time well spent. It has caused me to revisit our hospital’s harassment policy and our mental health clinic’s response to victims of harassment.
*Reviewer
Rating Scale/ Échelle d’évaluation du réviseur
Excellent / Excellent
Very Good / Très bon
Good / Bon
Fair / Passable
Not recommended / Pas recommandé
|
