|
|
In
many ways, today's high school experience is a great
deal more complicated than in years gone by. Meeting
increasingly difficult standards for graduation and
tight competition for college placement along with
physical safety issues like bomb threats and alcohol and
drug abuse are some of the major stresses facing today's
teens. Another major one is sexual harassment. A 2001
survey of students in grades 8-11 by the American
Association of University Women Educational Foundation
found that four in five students
-- males and females -- experience sexual harassment.
One-third experienced it often.
Flirting vs.
hurting
Sexual
harassment is any unwanted sexual approach that makes
people uncomfortable or interferes with their lives.
Behaviors such as kissing, touching or flirting that are
welcome are not sexual harassment. Sexual harassment can
be both physical and non-physical. Non-physical
harassment includes: taunting, spreading rumors about
sexual preferences, rating other students based on
sexual activity or performance, pressure for sexual
favors, sexually explicit graffiti and sexual or
"dirty" jokes or gestures. Physical harassment
might include sexual advances, touching in a sexual way,
having clothing pulled off, or being spied on while
dressing or showering at school.
What families
can do...
When it comes
to helping prevent sexual harassment, high school
administrators and social workers say that families are
a vital first line of defense. What kids learn at home
can help them fend off negative sexual messages from our
culture and peers and know how to respond if they are
sexually harassed in or out of school. Here are some
things they suggest:
-
Keep
the lines of communication open. Talking with
your teens in a supportive, non-judgmental way can
help you become aware of difficulties they might be
having, including sexual harassment.
-
Let
your teens know you are aware that sexual harassment
can be a problem. Help them understand what
actions and comments are considered sexually
harassing and that there are things they can do to
stop it. For more information, link to http://familyeducation.com/article/0,1120,63-4640-0-1,00.html.
-
Model
appropriate behavior. Starting from a very young
age, kids learn from their families what to think
about themselves and how they should act toward
others. If you take care to avoid stereotyping
others based on gender, sexual orientation, race,
ethnicity or other characteristics, your kids are
more likely to do the same.
-
Keep
on top of what your teens are wearing, listening to
and doing. Though a belly baring t-shirt or
exposed thong underwear do not justify harassment,
you can encourage your teens to think about the
messages they are putting forth -- and the responses
they might receive -- by dressing in suggestive
ways. If there is something you feel is offensive in
the music your teens listen to or the videos or
computer programs they use, talk with them about it.
Though their lives may sometimes seem like
parent-free zones, you still have the ability to
influence how your teens think about and respond to
the world outside of your home.
-
Talk
to your teens about healthy dating relationships.
If they feel scared, uncomfortable or threatened by
the way someone is treating them, encourage them to
get out of the relationship immediately.
-
Have
your teens write down experiences they think might
be sexual harassment. This will help them
remember details. Install recording software of the
computer(s) your teens use so that they will have a
record of any harassing messages they receive via
instant messaging (IM) or e-mail. For more
information on this type of software, link to http://spam.getnetwise.org/tools/othertools.
Defining
sexual harassment
With
teens, sexual harassment generally falls into two
categories, hostile environment and quid pro
quo.
According to the U.S. Department of Education's
Office of Civil Rights, hostile environment
harassment occurs when unwelcome sexual conduct is
so severe or persistent that it affects a student's
ability to participate in or benefit from school
programs or activities, or creates an intimidating,
threatening or abusive school environment. A hostile
environment can be created by a school employee, another
student or someone visiting from another school.
Quid pro quo harassment occurs when a
school employee causes a student to believe he or she
must submit to unwelcome sexual conduct in order to
participate in a school program or earn a favorable
grade.
As a part of Safe Schools Against Violence in
Education (Project SAVE), all schools in New York State
are required to have in place detailed plans for dealing
with school-based bullying, including sexual
harassment.
>
Back
For
permission to reprint this article, please contact the
Capital Region BOCES Communications Service at (518)
464-3960.
|
|
