Sexism & harassment
Being treated unfairly because of your gender is not your fault, and its toll on your mind is real. You deserve respect and support.
By the numbers
How common sexism and harassment are.
At work
Online
World
What sexism and harassment are
Being treated worse, or made to feel unsafe, because of your gender.
Gender-based discrimination means being treated worse because of your sex or gender. Harassment means unwelcome behavior, like comments, touching or threats, that makes you feel unsafe, small or unwelcome. Both can happen at work, at school, online, in public or at home.
A review of more than 300 studies found that feeling discriminated against is linked to lower wellbeing, including more depression and anxiety. Unfair treatment that feels constant and everywhere does the most harm.
It can sound like…
- “Am I overreacting? Maybe it was just a joke.”
- “I take the long way home so I don’t walk past them.”
- “If a man said it, they’d call it confident. When I say it, I’m ‘bossy’.”
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People who experience sexual harassment at work are more likely to report depression, stress and anxiety. It is also linked to PTSD and to body symptoms like headaches, exhaustion and sleep problems.
Health experts list discrimination, harassment and bullying among the main risks to mental health at work.
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Roughly three out of four people who experience harassment at work never talk to a supervisor, manager or union rep about it. Only 6% to 13% file a formal complaint.
Common reasons
- Fear of not being believed
- Fear of losing a job or being punished
- Not wanting to cause trouble
- Self-doubt: “Was it really that bad?”
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Anyone can be harassed, and anyone can be a harasser. Under U.S. law, sex discrimination includes pregnancy, sexual orientation and transgender status.
Everyday sexism and bias
Being passed over, talked over or judged because you’re a woman.
Discrimination isn’t always loud. It can be being talked over in meetings, being asked who is watching your kids, being passed over after pregnancy, or being called “bossy” for things praised in a man. Each moment may seem small, but they add up.
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Ideas
- Connect with women’s networks, mentors or unions
- Find allies who notice and back you up
- Keep notes of patterns, not just single moments
- Name it to yourself: “That was unfair,” not “I’m too sensitive”
- Talk it out with someone outside the situation who supports you
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Being talked over, overlooked or judged for things praised in men can make you doubt yourself. That doubt is often a reaction to unfair treatment, not a sign that you aren’t good enough.
Ideas
- Find a mentor or women’s network inside or outside work
- Keep a “wins file” of praise, results and things you are proud of
- Practise naming your achievements out loud
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Unspoken expectations about who should do the cooking, cleaning and caring can be a form of everyday sexism too. Over time, carrying more than your share can wear you down.
Sexual harassment at work
Unwelcome advances, comments or pressure. It is not “part of the job.”
Under U.S. law, sexual harassment at work includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical behavior of a sexual nature. It also includes offensive remarks about women in general, even if they aren’t sexual.
It becomes illegal when it is frequent or severe enough to create a hostile or offensive workplace, or when it leads to a decision like being fired or passed over. The harasser can be a boss, a coworker, or even a customer or client.
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You might notice
- Doubting yourself: “Am I overreacting?”
- Dreading going to work, or feeling sick before shifts
- Feeling anxious, jumpy or always on guard
- Pulling back from chances to grow at work to avoid someone
- Shame or self-blame, even though it isn’t your fault
- Trouble sleeping or concentrating
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Steps
- If you feel safe, tell the person clearly that the behavior is unwelcome and must stop
- Report it to a manager or HR early, before it gets worse
- Save texts, emails or messages
- Write down what happened, when, where and who saw it
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It is illegal to punish someone for reporting harassment, taking part in an investigation or filing a complaint. Employers must act promptly when they know about harassment by coworkers or customers.
You can contact the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (eeoc.gov). Complaints generally must be filed within 180 days, and state laws can extend this.
Unfair treatment, stress and burnout at work
Living with unfair treatment wears you down, even when each moment seems “small.”
In a CDC survey of U.S. health workers, those who were harassed had about 5.8 times the odds of burnout. Living with unfair treatment can wear you down, even when each incident seems “small.”
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Under U.S. federal law, it is illegal to harass or treat a worker unfairly because of their sex, which includes pregnancy.
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Signs to notice
- Dreading Sunday nights
- Feeling numb or cynical about work you used to care about
- Headaches, tiredness or poor sleep
- Snapping at people at home
Harassment in public and online
Catcalling, unwanted touching, and abuse on social media.
Many women change how they live because of harassment: taking longer routes home, avoiding certain places, or leaving social media. Online abuse can be constant and hard to escape because it follows you onto your phone.
In a 2021 Pew survey, 33% of U.S. women under 35 had been sexually harassed online. About a third of harassed women said their most recent experience was extremely or very upsetting.
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What can help
- Block, mute and report abusive accounts
- Report threats or stalking to the police
- Screenshot threats before deleting them
- Take breaks from social media when you need them
- Tell someone you trust. You don’t have to handle it alone
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Comments, following or touching in public can leave you feeling unsafe long after. Feeling shaken, angry or on guard afterward is a normal reaction.
Ideas
- Move toward other people or into a shop if you feel unsafe
- Share your location with a friend when walking alone
- Report touching or following to police or transit staff
- Talk it through with someone afterward
Safety at home and in relationships
Feeling safe at home is the base for good mental health.
Healthy relationships leave you feeling respected and free to be yourself. If someone controls you, frightens you, hurts you, or cuts you off from friends and money, that is not your fault. It can deeply affect your mental health.
Worldwide, about 1 in 3 women have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, from a partner or someone else. Violence can lead to depression, post-traumatic stress, anxiety and sleep problems.
Healing and speaking up
Your feelings make sense, and support helps.
After harassment or discrimination, it is common to feel anger, sadness, fear or self-doubt. Some people feel numb. These are normal reactions to being treated unfairly, not signs that you are weak.
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Ideas
- Rest, movement and time with people who make you feel safe
- Support groups or women’s networks
- Taking action, if and when you feel ready, which can help some people feel more in control
- Talking with a therapist, especially one who understands workplace or gender-based harm
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If harassment involved assault, or left you with nightmares, panic or constant fear, the PTSD guide explains what may be happening and what helps.
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Some people report formally, some talk to a trusted colleague, some share their story publicly, and some choose to move on quietly. Any of these can be right for you. Your safety and wellbeing come first.
Supporting someone, and being an ally
Believe them, back them up, and step in safely when you see it.
If someone tells you they were harassed or treated unfairly, the most important thing is to believe them. Many people never tell anyone, so being trusted with their story matters.
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Words that can help
- “I believe you.”
- “That wasn’t okay, and it isn’t your fault.”
- “What would be helpful right now?”
- “Would you like me to come with you if you report it?”
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Try to avoid
- “Are you sure that’s what he meant?”
- “Just ignore it.”
- “Why didn’t you say something at the time?”
- “You’re overreacting.”
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Ideas
- Back them up: “I agree with what she said earlier.”
- Check in afterward: “That was out of line. Are you okay?”
- Interrupt by changing the subject or asking the person to join you
- Offer to be a witness if they report it
- Report it yourself if your workplace allows
Employers are encouraged to make clear that harassment won’t be tolerated and to act quickly when someone complains.
When and where to get help
Signs it’s time to reach out, and who to call.
Reach out if…
- You dread work, school or going out most days
- You have nightmares, panic or constant fear
- Low mood, anxiety or poor sleep lasts more than two weeks
- You feel unsafe at home or in a relationship
- You have thoughts of harming yourself
A therapist, your doctor, an employee assistance program (EAP), a union rep or a women’s organisation can help you think through your options and look after your mental health.
Outside the U.S.: Find A Helpline (findahelpline.com) lists free, confidential helplines in many countries.
📝 Worksheets for this guide
Fill these in privately in the app. Your answers stay on your phone.
Sources
- U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Harassment
- U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Sexual Harassment
- U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) (2016). Select Task Force on the Study of Harassment in the Workplace: Report of Co-Chairs Chai R. Feldblum & Victoria A. Lipnic
- World Health Organization (WHO). Mental health at work (fact sheet)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2023). Vital Signs: Health Worker–Perceived Working Conditions and Symptoms of Poor Mental Health — Quality of Worklife Survey, United States, 2018–2022 (MMWR)
- Schmitt M.T. et al. (peer-reviewed) (2014). The consequences of perceived discrimination for psychological well-being: a meta-analytic review (Psychological Bulletin)
- Pew Research Center (2021). The State of Online Harassment
- World Health Organization (WHO). Violence against women (fact sheet)
- Daminger, Harvard University (peer-reviewed) (2019). The Cognitive Dimension of Household Labor (American Sociological Review)
- Find A Helpline (ThroughLine). Find A Helpline
This guide is for education and self-care. It is not a diagnosis or a substitute for professional care. Please talk to a counselor or clinical provider about your health. Reviewed October 2026.
