In most people's minds, the higher a person's authority in the workplace, the more respect that is commanded.
A study has now proved that's true -- but only, it seems, for men.
The research, carried out by the University of Antwerp in Belgium, found that women are on the receiving end of about the same amount of sexual harassment whether they're at the bottom of the career ladder or the chief executive of a top company.
While men experience a sharp decline in sexual harassment when they rise through the ranks, women do not -- with the data showing that there is little to no change regardless of age.
The study found women between 30 and 44 actually saw an increase in sexual harassment when they gained more authority in the workplace.
It also shows that women under 30 were harassed significantly more than other demographics -- more than twice as much as older females, and more than four times as much as men under 30.
They were also nearly 23 times as likely to receive sexual harassment as males in the 30-44 age bracket.
The researchers concluded the rationale behind women holding positions of authority receiving more sexual harassment may be because it is "regarded as an even greater challenge to the presumptive superiority of men".
Newshub.
