Monday, November 7, 2011

Widespread Sexual Harassment of Students in Grades 7 to 12


Nearly half of 7th to 12th graders experienced sexual harassment in the last school year, according to a study scheduled for release on Monday, with 87 percent of those who have been harassed reporting negative effects such as absenteeism, poor sleep and stomachaches.

On its survey of a nationally representative group of 1,965 students, the American Association of University Women, a nonprofit research organization, defined harassment as “unwelcome sexual behavior that takes place in person or electronically.” Over all, girls reported being harassed more than boys — 56 percent compared with 40 percent — though it was evenly divided during middle school. Boys were more likely to be the harassers, according to the study, and children from lower-income families reported more severe effects.

“It’s pervasive, and almost a normal part of the school day,” said Catherine Hill, the director of research at the association and one of the authors of the report.

Over all, 48 percent of students surveyed said they were harassed during the 2010-11 school year. Forty-four percent of students said they were harassed “in person” — being subjected to unwelcome comments or jokes, inappropriate touching or sexual intimidation — and 30 percent reported online harassment, like receiving unwelcome comments, jokes or pictures through texts, e-mail, Facebook and other tools, or having sexual rumors, information or pictures spread about them.

3 comments :

  1. A study from the AAUP? Please, anything they publish should have the words "Advances Our Feminist Agenda" at the top.

    Newsflash: kids harass each other a lot. In secular society that's bound to include sexual terms, nebech. Just think of it as kids teasing each other with whatever will get a rise out the kid being picked on. Just look at what kids will do to each other in normal from families. I guess that's harassment, too.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Unwelcome comments and jokes (presumably of a sexual nature or involving some sexual innuendo)? Then where I went to school, it was probably 100%.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Teasing of a sexual nature is harassment and not ok and even if it was 100% of the students, it would still not be ok. Why do you minimize and justify this? Wouldn't it be better to acknowledge what's ok and what isn't so that you can become part of the solution, and at least not part of the problem.

    Just as racist slurs are not ok and you probably wouldn't indulge in them, now that the feminists are clarifying what is considered sexual harassment and that it's not ok, then hopefully people will start to watch on themselves.

    ReplyDelete

ANONYMOUS COMMENTS WILL NOT BE POSTED!
please use either your real name or a pseudonym.