About the Initiative

Why This Research Matters

The worldwide welfare cost of gender-based violence is estimated at around 5% of global GDP - approximately five times the cost of war. Yet despite this enormous impact, Mauritius faces significant data gaps that hinder effective policy development and prevention strategies.

Tourism in Mauritius: A Vital But Under-Researched Sector

Tourism is one of the main drivers of Mauritius' national economy, contributing approximately 9% to GDP and employing around 45,900 people. Women comprise 42.6% of the tourism workforce, exceeding the national average of 38.4%. Many of these women work in temporary, seasonal, or informal employment across diverse roles including housekeeping, kitchen staff, customer service, and management positions. Understanding sexual harassment in this sector is crucial for employee well-being and the sustainable development of Mauritius' tourism industry.

Our Approach: Three Core Objectives

Key Focus Areas

Our Impact Goals

By the end of this 18-month initiative, the project is:

• Provide the first comprehensive, sector-specific data on sexual harassment in Mauritius' tourism industry
• Develop evidence-based policy recommendations for government and private sector
• Create practical tools and resources for tourism industry employers and employees
• Build capacity of two early-career researchers in gender-based violence research
• Publish findings in high-ranking international academic journals
• Organize an international conference bringing together researchers and practitioners
• Contribute to creating safer, more equitable workplaces in Mauritius' tourism sector

Partner Organizations

This research brings together academic institutions and expects to collaborate with NGOs, private sector organizations, and government bodies:

Funded By

This research is made possible through a grant from the Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) under the "Knowledge for Action to End Violence Against Women and Violence Against Children" program.

The SVRI is the world's largest network on research on violence against women and violence against children, with thousands of members across more than 160 countries. Learn more about SVRI

📔 THE PROJECT

Background and Context

The Global Picture

Gender-based violence (GBV) represents one of the most significant human rights challenges of our time. The worldwide welfare cost of gender-based violence is estimated to be around 5% of global GDP - about five times that of war. Sexual harassment, a prevalent form of GBV, is particularly common in certain industries, with tourism and hospitality identified as having among the highest levels of sexual harassment incidents compared to other sectors.

The Situation in Mauritius

Mauritius has made significant progress in gender equality and women's empowerment, yet gender-based violence remains a persistent challenge. The most recent comprehensive surveys on gender-based violence were conducted in 2010-2011 and 2016. These surveys revealed that nearly 25% of Mauritian women experienced some type of GBV at least once in their lifetime, while 22.9% of men admit to perpetrating GBV at least once. However, existing data is dated, aggregated, and does not provide adequate evidence on workplace sexual harassment specifically.

Self-reported data significantly underestimates the true prevalence of gender-based violence due to reporting stigma and social desirability bias. According to the 2010-2011 survey, only 1 in 3 physically abused women reported incidents to police, and only 1 in 7 rape survivors reported to police. For sexual harassment at work, the data shows that only 6.3% of women experienced it during their lifetime, though this figure is likely a significant underestimate.

Limited workplace-specific data from government sources further compounds the problem. The Ministry of Labour reported only 89 women and 91 men subject to workplace violence in 2021, and 133 women and 145 men in 2022. Despite the establishment of a Gender Based Violence Observatory in 2021, there is still no concrete evidence on sexual harassment in the workplace, particularly in the tourism sector.

Why Focus on Tourism?

Tourism is a rapidly expanding global sector that employs a significant number of women, many of whom are vulnerable to gender-based violence. In Mauritius, tourism is one of the main drivers of the national economy, contributing approximately 9% to national GDP and employing around 45,900 people. Women comprise 42.6% of the tourism workforce, exceeding the national average of 38.4% female employment.

Women in the tourism industry often work in temporary, seasonal, or informal employment with shift work across diverse time schedules. Their roles range from housekeeping and kitchen staff to customer service and senior management positions. This diversity of employment arrangements, combined with customer-facing roles that involve power imbalances, creates particular vulnerability to sexual harassment.

Previous studies indicate that women in tourism often face poorer working conditions, gender inequality, and lower pay compared to men, and are also exposed to exploitation and harassment. Research has identified the tourism and hospitality sector as having the highest levels of sexual harassment incidents compared to other industries. Yet the tourism and hospitality literature has largely overlooked this issue, and there are no scientific publications on sexual harassment in Mauritius. This represents a critical knowledge gap for policy and practice.

Theoretical Framework

Feminist Perspective

The RoSH Initiative employs a feminist-centered methodology that recognizes sexual harassment not merely as abnormal behavior, but as a type of violence towards women originating from gender biases and patriarchal structures. According to feminist theories, sexual harassment exists because of views on women as the inferior sex in a dominant sexist male ideology. It serves to maintain existing gender stratification by emphasizing sex role expectations. Therefore, prevention must address underlying gender stereotypes, biases, and male dominance.

Our feminist approach emphasizes identifying underlying gender stereotypes and biases, understanding sex role expectations in the workplace, analyzing male dominance in tourism sector hierarchies, centering women's voices and experiences, and promoting structural change rather than just individual solutions.

Intersectionality

The research acknowledges the varied socio-political structures affecting different demographics within the tourism sector. We recognize that experiences of sexual harassment intersect with multiple factors including age and career stage, ethnicity and cultural background, job position and employment status, educational level, economic circumstances, and family situation. This intersectional approach ensures that our research captures the diverse experiences within Mauritius' multicultural society.

Innovation and Contribution

The innovation of the RoSH project is three-fold. First, the project is providing novel quantitative and qualitative data and research on the prevalence of sexual harassment in the tourism sector in Mauritius using composite measures from different validated and reliable instruments. This includes survey methodology, social media analysis, focus group discussions, stakeholder consultations, and desk review. Designing appropriate policies and evaluating prevention interventions is impossible without accurate data.

Second, the project employs a cutting-edge list experiment survey technique which is allowing more accurate estimation of the prevalence of sexual harassment. List experiments help estimate the prevalence of sensitive experiences without direct questions, ensuring privacy and honesty. This innovative methodology addresses the significant underreporting problem inherent in traditional survey methods.

Third, the rigorous data collection is sharpening understanding of the legal and workplace policies (both at the level of government and the private sector) which can effectively prevent and respond to sexual harassment. The evidence-based policies that are being evaluated are creating a solid basis for recommendations to relevant stakeholders and for raising awareness among policymakers, NGOs, and private companies in Mauritius.

Proof-of-Concept Study

This project is designed to serve as a proof-of-concept study that is being replicated in other sectors, thus accurately capturing the prevalence of workplace sexual harassment and evaluating the interventions to prevent it. While the tourism industry contributes to the economic well-being of women, a sector-by-sector approach is essential for understanding the intricacies of sexual harassment in the workplace and the complex interaction of sexual harassment with other types of harassment and violence.

Research Questions

The proposed project directly tackles three important research questions:

1. How can we improve research methods to increase the completeness and accuracy of data and reporting of GBV? (SVRI African research agenda)
2. What interventions work to prevent sexual harassment in institutional settings (in-person or online) in the workplace, and why? (SVRI global research agenda)
3. What strategies and mechanisms could be used in implementing evidence-based policies and practices in tackling sexual harassment in the tourism sector?

Research Methodology

The study is employing a mixed-methods approach, incorporating a survey, desk review, and stakeholder consultations, culminating in a conference for dissemination of findings. This study builds on feminist research and intersectionality, employing mixed methods to explore sexual harassment in Mauritius' tourism sector. The research analyzes legal policies and involves stakeholders to address inequalities. By engaging marginalized voices and diverse methods, the project aims to transform the status quo and tackle sexual violence and harassment.

Qualitative Research Methods

Desk Review: A comprehensive literature search is gathering baseline information on existing data, policies, legislation, structures, and mechanisms related to sexual harassment in the workplace, with a focus on the tourism sector. The sources include both local (Mauritius-specific) and international literature to provide a comparative perspective.

Social Media Analysis: Over three months, content from Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram is being analyzed using exportcomments.com to dissect the dynamics of workplace sexual harassment in the tourism sector. This innovative method using ATLAS-ti v.24 software is conducting thematic network analysis using abductive reasoning.

Focus Group Discussions: Four focus group discussions are being conducted across different regions of Mauritius (North, South, East, and West) with about eight mixed-gender and occupation participants in each group. These are validating and delving deeper into survey responses, using digital vignettes to present hypothetical scenarios and encourage discussion of personal experiences and attitudes.

Stakeholder Consultations: About 15 semi-structured interviews are being planned with key figures from government ministries, private sector decision-makers, NGOs, and trade unions. These consultations aim to validate findings and identify strategies for evidence-based policy interventions.

A thematic network analysis using abductive reasoning based on feminist perspectives is serving as the analytical framework. Mixed-method analysis is following five of the seven stages outlined by Onwuegbuzie and Teddlie (2003).

Quantitative Research: The Survey

The quantitative component involves a survey of 1,500 employees in the tourism industry, targeting hotels, restaurants, tour operators, catering services, and tourist facilities. Using cluster random sampling (with different venues serving as clusters), the survey is ensuring a representative sample across different types of establishments and job roles.

The questionnaire is being designed to capture quantitative information on the prevalence of sexual harassment and experiences of other types of sexual violence and post-separation violence. Rather than directly asking about experiences of sexual harassment, the survey focuses on specific behaviors such as staring or leering, exposure to sexually explicit content, inappropriate suggestions, unwanted physical contact, advances, sexually explicit messages, or forced sex.

List Experiment Methodology: A key innovation is the inclusion of a list experiment, which helps estimate the prevalence of sensitive experiences without direct questions, ensuring privacy and honesty. This methodology has been shown to reduce underreporting and social desirability bias significantly.

The survey is also probing for related threats, the nature of the perpetrator, and reporting behaviors. It explores awareness of available resources at work and nationally, and addresses post-separation violence and harassment. Demographic and family information is being collected, with all instruments adapted to the Mauritian context while maintaining comparability with other settings.

Attention questions are being included to filter out inattentive respondents, ensuring high-quality data. Before the official launch, a pilot survey is being conducted with a small group of tourism employees to refine the questions further. The survey is being administered in person using computer-assisted personal interviewing to maximize reach and participation. Measures to ensure confidentiality and anonymity are being strictly adhered to, encouraging honest and accurate responses.

The analysis is being multivariate and include regression analysis and specific tools for analyzing list experiments.

Conference for Dissemination

A two-day international conference on Gender-Based Violence and Tourism is being organized in collaboration with the International Consortium for Social Development. This conference is providing an interdisciplinary forum for attendees from academia, industry, government, NGOs, and community groups to explore the complex issue of GBV and sexual harassment in the tourism sector.

The conference is featuring keynote addresses, research presentations, and roundtable discussions where participants are deepening their understanding, sharing best practices, and developing actionable strategies to combat GBV. Interested conference presenters are being invited to submit their full papers for peer-reviewed publication consideration in selected journals or book series.

👥 TEAM

The RoSH Initiative is led by an interdisciplinary team of researchers with expertise in social work, economics, tourism, and gender studies. All team members reside in Mauritius, with three out of four being Mauritian, ensuring deep knowledge of the local context. The team includes both male and female researchers, bringing diverse perspectives to this important work.

Postdoctoral Fellows

Two postdoctoral fellowships are being awarded under this research grant to promote early career researchers. The fellowships are designed to provide comprehensive training in gender-based violence research methodologies and are contributing to building long-term institutional capacity in Mauritius and the region.

Postdoctoral Fellow 1: Expected to focus on the design and quantitative analysis of the survey, working closely with Dr. Nikolova and the survey consultant.

Postdoctoral Fellow 2: Expected to focus on qualitative analysis, including conducting the focus groups and stakeholder consultations under the guidance of Dr. Rambaree and Dr. Brizmohun.

Both postdoctoral students are being involved in the desk review and are receiving mentorship from all four principal investigators.

Advisory and Support Roles

Survey Consultant: An international consultant with experience as Survey Methodologist at Ipsos and TNS (two large market survey firms) is supporting the analysis of the survey. This consultant has worked on similar projects including the EU Violence Against Women Survey and Dr. Nikolova's survey on gender-based violence in the UAE.

Survey Implementation: A reputable survey company in Mauritius is being contracted to implement the survey using computer-assisted personal interviewing.

Team Strengths

The team offers complementary skills essential for completing this complex, innovative, and interdisciplinary project. Team members have backgrounds in social work, agricultural economics, tourism, economics, politics, and survey analysis. This diversity ensures comprehensive coverage of all aspects of the research, from theoretical framing through feminist and intersectional lenses, to rigorous quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis, to effective policy translation and stakeholder engagement.

The deep local knowledge combined with international research experience and networks positions the team uniquely to conduct this important research and ensure its findings contribute to meaningful change in Mauritius and beyond.

📰 NEWS

News and updates are being posted here as the project progresses. Check back regularly for the latest developments, research findings, events, and opportunities to engage with the RoSH Initiative.

Upcoming Milestones

• January-June 2025: Recruitment of postdoctoral fellows and survey consultant
• July 2025: Official project launch
• July-December 2025: Desk review, social media analysis, and survey design
• January-June 2026: Survey implementation and focus group discussions
• July-December 2026: Data analysis, conference organization, and dissemination of findings

Stay Updated

Subscribe to our newsletter (coming soon) or follow us on social media to receive timely updates about project activities, new publications, events, and opportunities to get involved.

✏ BLOGS AND CONFERENCE

Project Blog

Our project blog is featuring reflections from team members, insights from the field, discussions of emerging findings, and commentary on current issues related to sexual harassment in the workplace and tourism sector. The blog is providing a more informal and accessible way to engage with our research and is being updated regularly throughout the project.

Blog posts are being published here as the project progresses. Topics are including research methodology, preliminary findings, stakeholder perspectives, policy insights, and lessons learned from the field.

International Conference on Gender-Based Violence and Tourism

A highlight of the RoSH Initiative is being a two-day international conference organized in collaboration with the International Consortium for Social Development. This conference is providing an interdisciplinary forum for researchers, practitioners, policymakers, industry representatives, and civil society to explore the complex issue of gender-based violence and sexual harassment in the tourism sector.

Conference Objectives

• Present research findings from the RoSH Initiative
• Facilitate knowledge exchange between academics and practitioners
• Develop actionable strategies to combat GBV in tourism
• Foster collaboration across sectors and regions
• Contribute to policy development and best practices

Expected Conference Features

• Keynote addresses from international and regional experts
• Research presentation sessions
• Roundtable discussions on policy and practice
• Workshops on prevention strategies and interventions
• Poster presentations and exhibitions
• Networking opportunities

Publication Opportunities

Interested conference presenters are being invited to submit their full papers for peer-reviewed publication consideration in selected journals or book series. Possible publication venues include:

• International Journal of Community and Social Development (Q1 journal)
• Gender and Society (Q1 journal)
• Journal of Population Economics (Q1 journal)
• Edited book series on Social Development (Springer)

Conference Dates: To be announced (expected late 2026)

Location: Mauritius

More Information: Details on conference registration, abstract submission, and attendance are being posted as they become available.

📊 ACTIVITIES & OUTPUTS

The RoSH Initiative is producing a range of outputs designed to maximize the impact of the research and ensure that findings translate into policy and practice. All outputs are being developed through rigorous research processes and stakeholder engagement.

Research Outputs

Project Activities

Phase 1: Foundation and Policy Analysis (Months 1-6)

• Recruitment of two postdoctoral fellows
• Desk review of legislation, policies, and interventions
• Social media content analysis
• Development of survey instruments
• Initial stakeholder mapping and engagement

Phase 2: Data Collection (Months 7-12)

• Survey pilot testing and refinement
• Implementation of main survey with 1,500 tourism employees
• Focus group discussions in four regions of Mauritius
• Stakeholder consultations with government, private sector, NGOs, and trade unions

Phase 3: Analysis and Dissemination (Months 13-18)

• Quantitative and qualitative data analysis
• Development of policy recommendations
• Creation of e-toolkit
• Organization of international conference
• Publication of findings in academic journals and popular media
• Final stakeholder engagement and feedback sessions

Capacity Building

An important output of the RoSH Initiative is the training of two early-career researchers through postdoctoral fellowships. These fellowships are providing comprehensive training in:

• Gender-based violence research methodologies
• Survey design and implementation
• Qualitative research methods including focus groups and interviews
• Feminist and intersectional research frameworks
• Policy analysis and research translation
• Academic writing and publication
• Ethical research practices on sensitive topics

This investment in early-career researchers is contributing to building long-term institutional capacity for gender-based violence research in Mauritius and the region.

Knowledge Mobilization

Throughout the project, ongoing knowledge mobilization activities are being engaged in, including:

• Project website with regular updates and resources
• Social media engagement
• Presentations at national and international conferences
• Media engagement through press releases and interviews
• Stakeholder workshops and briefings
• Newsletter updates for interested parties

Measuring Impact

We are tracking the impact of our research through:

• Number and quality of academic publications
• Citation metrics and media coverage
• Policy uptake and implementation of recommendations
• Stakeholder engagement and satisfaction
• Capacity building outcomes for postdoctoral fellows
• Reach and engagement of dissemination activities
• Long-term changes in awareness and practices in the tourism sector

📧 CONTACT

We welcome inquiries, collaboration proposals, and questions about the Research on Sexual Harassment (RoSH) Initiative. Whether you're interested in participating in our research, exploring partnership opportunities, or simply learning more about our work, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Research Ethics and Participant Information

If you are interested in participating in our research or have questions about the study, please contact Dr. Rambaree using the contact information above. All participation is voluntary and confidential. Full information about the study, your rights as a participant, and the consent process is being provided before any data collection.

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