Study: Excessive body gaze reflects harmful attitude
A stare, an uncomfortable gaze, indecent expressions--almost every woman has experienced them. It doesn't matter which country or financial strata of the society she belongs to. Sexual harassment isn't just about physical touch. Talk to any woman and she will tell you how she was made to feel uncomfortable on a bus, at the office, and sometimes even in her own home.
The study was led by an Australian doctor
Now a study on "eye gaze behavior" has concluded how terribly harmful this gaze is. According to the study, looking at someone's body instead of their face reflects a harmful attitude. Published in the journal, Archives of Sexual Behavior, and led by Dr. Ross Hollett in Australia, it also revealed that persons who excessively gaze at people's bodies believe women tolerate rough sexual behavior.
Details of the findings
Using the eye-tracking technology, it was found that male participants of the study showed strong preferences for gazing at the bodies of women irrespective of their clothing, instead of their faces. Women on the other hand did not gaze at the bodies of either men or women. In fact, women showed a preference for gazing at the faces of fully clothed men!
The conclusions point toward commonly accepted notions about harassment
Dr. Hollett explained that those who tend to body gaze excessively might be potential perpetrators and/or display violent attitudes regarding sexual behavior. These findings suggest heterosexual individuals are predominantly aware of their gaze and intentionally continue to do so in order to establish communication with the woman. Talk about women intentionally trying to attract attention with their clothes and conduct!
Such a gaze affects women tremendously: Clinical Psychologist
Shreshta Chattopadhyay, Clinical Psychologist says, "The fact that men who tend to gaze more at women's bodies, may harbor thoughts like women secretly enjoy forced sexual relationships is really disturbing." "In India, we find many random comments about women provoking men which imply similar thought patterns." "Women can perceive inappropriate gazes, and when they do, they tend to become more nervous, conscious, and cautious."
Everyone should be mindful of their gaze: Ms. Chattopadhyay
Chattopadhyay continues, "At the same time, we do find many women playing the victim when it was never actually the man's fault." "In many instances, men had to bear the brunt of being generalized as the universal sexual perpetrator." "It will be ideal if people are mindful about their gaze keeping it restricted to a limit, to not make anyone uncomfortable," suggests Ms. Chattopadhyay.
