1st October 2025
Sexual harassment is harmful behavior with serious consequences that can affect both women and men. However, a new survey by the Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson shows that when a woman harasses a man in the workplace, men themselves tend to view it less seriously.
Different perspectives between men and women
Survey participants were presented with two scenarios: “During a meeting, Tomas comments that a female colleague looks very sexy and that it makes it hard for him to concentrate. He then explains that he said it as a joke” and “During a meeting, Laura comments that a male colleague looks very sexy and that it makes it hard for her to concentrate. She then explains that she said it as a joke.” Respondents were asked to assess whether such behavior was appropriate.
Looking at the results for both scenarios, the overall responses were almost identical: the findings show low tolerance for such behavior, with about 6 out of 10 Lithuanians considering it inappropriate.
However, differences appear when comparing men’s and women’s opinions. Women view both situations the same way: they consider harassment by a man toward a woman, as well as the reverse scenario, equally inappropriate (68 % each). Men, on the other hand, were less likely to see sexual harassment against men as inappropriate (57 %) compared to harassment against women (64 %).
Seen as a compliment
Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson Birutė Sabatauskaitė emphasizes that these results reflect stereotypes and prevailing attitudes: “It is often assumed that men should always find such attention from women flattering, a compliment, even if it happens in a professional setting. For this reason, sexual harassment against men is not taken seriously, and its harmful impact is minimized or even ignored.”
According to the Ombudsperson, justifying or equating unwanted attention with something pleasant and desirable also affects how harassment against women is perceived: “There is an expectation that women too should see it as a compliment, as romantic attention. Therefore, as shown by other surveys we have conducted, men in general are less likely to view sexual harassment as a widespread issue,” says Sabatauskaitė.
According to 2024 survey data, 54 % of women and 33 % of men believe that sexual harassment is widespread in Lithuania.
Both cases should be taken seriously
Sabatauskaitė stresses that gender stereotypes distort perceptions of the real harm and impact of sexual harassment in the workplace. She says employers should respond equally seriously to both situations described in the survey and should not dismiss either case as a joke. “It is essential to ensure equal protection for both women and men. Only when society recognizes that sexual harassment – regardless of gender – is inappropriate behavior that causes workplace stress and can have long-term consequences, will we be able to effectively address this problem,” she emphasizes.
The representative survey of Lithuanian residents was conducted on July 18–25, 2025, by Spinter tyrimai. A total of 1,009 people aged 18 and over were interviewed.
The survey is part of the project “VIOLET: Towards workplaces without sexual harassment and violence“, funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. The European Union cannot be held responsible for them.”