Sex harassment pervasive in grades 7-12: survey

NEW YORK -- A new survey says sexual harassment is an epidemic that's pervasive in America's middle schools and high schools.

The survey by the American Association of University Women finds that during the 2010-11 school year, 48 percent of students in grades 7-12 experienced some form of sexual harassment.

In all, 56 percent of the girls and 40 percent of the boys said they had experienced at least one incident of sexual harassment during the school year.

The survey finds the harassers often thought they were being funny. But nearly a third of those on the receiving end said the harassment made them feel sick to their stomach, affected their study habits or fueled reluctance to go to school at all.

After being harassed, half of the targeted students did nothing about it. Only 9 percent reported the incident to a teacher, guidance counselor or other adult at school.

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by RamirezNYC November 7, 2011 6:18 PM EST: This has been going on forever in NYC Schools. It is taken so lightly that school officials don't even face dismissal after failing to contact the police when they encounter sexual harassment. One example is NYC Assistant Principle Alberto M. Garcia: In 2005 an 11-year-old girl told Garcia she had been sexually abused by a 14-year-old boy. The girl's mother contacted The Daily News, but nothing was done. Garcia lost his post at that school due to an unrelated gun incident, but is now employed at Progress High School for Professional Careers in Brooklyn NY. Garcia failed to contact the police so that his reputation as principal of the school would not suffer. This is what is allowed to go on in our schools!; Reply to this comment


by thatchmo62 November 7, 2011 3:08 PM EST: What a worthless survey. Kids have been behaving like this for thousands of years. It's part of the pubescent period in a child's life when bodies are changing and hormones are raging. Sure, some kids may cross the line, but most of it is innocent. This group should have seen what boys and girls were doing to each other in the 70's. We'd all (boys and girls) be in jail or tagged as child molesters if the hyper-sensitivites of today were applied to what we did to each other as teens back then. I'd like to know what specific questions were asked and why in the hell did the school give the school kids access to this group that obviously has a political agenda to promote.; Reply to this comment


by michaelm07 November 7, 2011 2:10 PM EST: Christ, progressivley we are not allowed to be human beings. I am sure they want obedient, passive, compliant and medicated robots. Isn't it in the novel 1984 consensual sex is not allowed and all personal activity is regulated and monitored by the state? Gee, how far away, or how close are we to that Gov't sought reality? The more they supress human nature the more often they are going to see emotional explosions and lashing out of people in criminal acts, and then with astupid look on their faces they'll ask, how could this happen. Land of the Free, my a$$!; Reply to this comment


by bradkt1 November 7, 2011 1:39 PM EST: Although I do not doubt that some of this may constitute sexual harrassment, this is a pretty useless study. Basically, it is an "advocacy study"...that is, it is for use by advocates of a particular political agenda. Without any common agreement as to what actually constitutes sexual harrassment...and the communication of that standard to the young women who were polled before they gave their answers to the poll...their answers are going to be all over the map.

Some boy told a dirty joke...is that sexual harrassment? Some jealous girls enlisted their boyfriends in a whispering campaign about a girl they didn't like...is that sexual harrassment? Some boy lied to his friends about being with a girl...or about what he did with her on a date...is that sexual harrassment?

Maybe...maybe not. And so on and so on and so on...

There has never been any clear agreement about what sexual harrassment is when the context is outside of the employer-employee relationship. Co-workers creating a hostile working environment that fundamentally alters the nature of an employee's conditions of employement is one thing. That is the legal concept of sexual harrassment. The definition of sexual harrassment as it is used in this poll, however, appears to be whatever anyone says it is.; Reply to this comment

by saturn05 November 7, 2011 1:28 PM EST

Stop it now if you are talking about true sexual harassment. These "boys" will never know when to stop at the teasing. Teasing isn't really okay you know when it goes on and on. It does become harassment even at that young age and can traumatize young girls. When a young girl does not want the attention, she deserves the respect to have it stop.

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by thatchmo62 November 7, 2011 3:13 PM EST: Teasing takes place between all ages in school. There is a huge difference between teasing (which I agree gets out of hand sometimes) and sexual harrasment.


by seewhatimselling November 7, 2011 1:15 PM EST: Once boys and girls become aware of their sexuality, there will be poking, teasing, passing notes and stolen kisses. This is human nature- NOT sexual harrassment. Boys and girls alike, dress and act-out in ways to be noticed and attract attention of the opposite-sex. This has been and always will be the case. These situations can esculate into sexual harrassment when one 'over-steps' the boundries, such as forceful, unwanted 'touching', or threats. Lets not confuse good old-fashion 'flirting' with sexual harrassment. Seems we have gone from a 'Free-Love' generation straight to prudish, 'Everything's Sexual-harrassment'. I can see that kids are going to be SO confused in this society. Sad that a simple flirtation could possibly have one, unjustly, labeled a sex-offender for life.; Reply to this comment


by michaelm07 November 7, 2011 12:55 PM EST: Idiots. You ever hear of a thing alled puberty. That is usually when teenagers learn how to deal with the opposite sex.; Reply to this comment

by NotPartyControlled November 7, 2011 11:44 AM EST

Who gives the permission for an outside organization to go into the schools and then have access to the kids. Some of these organizations may have their own agenda and be using these kids for their own puposes.

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by askagain November 7, 2011 1:42 PM EST: You are right. Puberty and adolescents are a time of discovery, experimentation, and hopping hormones in most young people. At that age, most probabably have little concept of harassment. Parents and teachers can only teach so much and have limited control over kids in this stage of their lives.


by tsigili November 7, 2011 10:28 AM EST: If you really think you are going to change teens' behaviors......you are fools. Not going to happen.; Reply to this comment