Sexual harassment of women who practice strength training: impacts on their everyday life

This study aimed to characterize the impact of the sexual harassment of women who practice strength training on their everyday life and the practice of regular physical activity. The study was conducted with 25 women who practiced strength training in four gyms in Iguatu in the State of Ceará, Brazil using a sociodemographic questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The content of the interviews was analyzed using content analysis. The respondents’ experiences of sexual harassment in the gyms included embarrassing and uncomfortable leering and staring at intimate body parts during exercise and insistent conversations and inappropriate comments, negatively affecting their everyday life and pushing them away from the practice of regular physical exercise, seeking to avoid contact with men as a way of protecting themselves.

Keywords
Sexual harassment; Women; Strength training; Impact; Experiences