Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is unwelcome behavior -- of a sexual nature -- that makes you feel uncomfortable, fearful or powerless, and interferes with your schoolwork. Sexual harassment can happen to anyone -- male or female, student or adult employee.
- Types of Sexual Harassment
- Sexual Harassment at School
- Flirting, or Sexual Harassment?
- Examples of Sexual Harassment
Types of Sexual Harassment
Hostile Environment Sexual Harassment: Verbal, physical or visual forms of harassment, that are sexual in nature, "sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive" and unwelcome fall under the category of Hostile Environment Sexual Harassment. A single, severe incident, such as a sexual assault, could create a hostile environment. More commonly, a "hostile environment" is created by a series of incidents.
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Sexual Harassment at School
Sexual harassment in schools is illegal under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits sex discrimination in schools receiving federal funds. This law applies to all school-sponsored activities -- athletics, field trips, extracurricular programs, and bus or school-sponsored transportation.
Title IX protects all students, male or female, from two types of Sexual Harassment: (1) quid pro quo and (2) hostile environment.
What should I do if I am being sexually harassed at school?
If you are being sexually harassed, you are already aware of how humiliating, embarrassing or frightening an experience it can be. You are protected against this kind of behavior by Title IX, a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in education. There are steps you can take to bring an end to sexual harassment some you take on your own, and others you take with adults who are both willing and required, by law, to help you.
- Do not ignore the sexual harassment.
- Tell or write the person who's harassing you to STOP. It may not always be clear to your harasser that the behavior is unwelcome. If you're able, tell the person directly--or write in a letter--that you don't like his or her behavior and that you want it to stop. In a situation where you are afraid to address a harasser directly, you'll need to involve your parents and/or school officials.
- Talk to someone you trust about how you're feeling. Friends, a trusted teacher, siblings and parents can all be helpful in giving you loving support as well as ideas for how to stop the harassment.
- Inform your teacher, counselor or school principal that you are being sexually harassed. (Either you or your parents can bring the situation to their attention.) The school has a legal responsibility to respond to sexual harassment of its students.
- Ask to see your school's sexual harassment policy. Schools are required to have a "Title IX" or sexual harassment policy. This policy should outline the proper steps or procedures you should take, and those THEY will take, in response to sexual harassment. Many schools include this policy in their student handbook. The school office should also have a copy of this policy readily available for you to read.
- Find out who your school's Title IX officer is and contact him or her. Schools are required to identify a "Title IX" officer, at their school or at the school district, who responds to questions and complaints about sexual harassment. Some schools (or districts) have two appointed Title IX officers -one male and one female- in case students find it more comfortable reaching out to an adult of a particular gender.
- If nothing happens after complaining to school officials, you can contact the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights and file a complaint against the school. (You can also file a complaint against the school in either state or federal court.)
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Flirting, or Sexual Harassment?
Welcome or Unwelcome?
Behavior that is enjoyed or welcome, such as two students enjoying "flirting" with each other, is not sexual harassment.
"Unwelcome" is a key determinant in whether or not behavior constitutes sexual harassment or not. To quote the U.S. Department of Education, "Conduct of a sexual nature is unwelcome when the student being harassed did not request or invite the conduct and regarded it as offensive or undesirable."
There are situations where it is obvious and reasonable (to most people) that behavior is unwelcome (offensive verbal taunting, physical grabbing -- again, of a sexual nature). But there are also situations where it may not be so obvious.
For Example
Julie no longer wants to date John and has told him so.
John, however, continually behaves as if they are still dating. He phones her for dates. In the halls at school he comes up to her and touches Julie in ways that are no longer welcomed by her. John is really making a pest of himself!
John may be unaware because of their past relationship that what he is doing is really not welcomed by Julie; but he had better catch on soon!
John's conduct is affecting Julie's ability to participate or learn at school. John's behavior, because it is sexual in nature and is repeated and not wanted, is SEXUAL HARASSMENT. A "hostile environment" exists in which Julie no longer feels safe.
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Examples of Sexual Harassment
These are all examples of sexual harassment. Behaviors like these can create a school environment that feels threatening or unsafe and can interfere with a student's ability to participate or learn. Hostile environment sexual harassment can come from a teacher or other school official, but most often it comes from fellow students.
- Sexual comments about your body
- Sexual advances/propositions/suggestions
- Sexual touching
- Sexual graffiti
- Sexual gestures
- Sexual "dirty" jokes
- Spreading rumors about other students' sexual activity
- Touching oneself in a sexual fashion in front of others
- Talking about one's own sexual activities in front of others
- Showing offensive/sexual pictures, stories, objects
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