At School

Sexual Harassment in schools is especially harmful. Of those who have been sexually harassed at school: 32 percent of students felt that they didn’t want to attend school because of it, 31 percent felt physically sick, 30 percent found it more difficult to study, and 19 percent found it hard to sleep.

“Sexual harassment led others to skip classes, drop activities, or even change schools. Girls were especially negatively affected because they faced a higher rate of sexual harassment than boys did, including the most physical forms of sexual harassment,” the report said.

Even so, it’s often not taken seriously, especially by students. According to a recent U.S. study, 44 percent of students who admitted that they had sexually harassed another student said that it “wasn’t a big deal.” An additional 39 percent said they were “just trying to be funny.”

If not dealt with in a proper manner, being sexually harassed can lead to getting trapped in a vicious cycle of harassment. The report showed 92 percent of girls and 80 percent of boys who admitted to sexually harassing others said that they, too, had been victims of harassment.

So what can students do? In the study, the majority of witnesses to acts of sexual harassment who did nothing did so because either they didn’t know what to do, or they thought nothing they did would help. However, students can make a difference by reporting any incidences to school authorities and by standing up to their peers who are harassing others, whether it’s in the hallway, online or in the locker room.

History teacher Cindy de León said, “We need a core, brave group of kids to stand up to it and stop it – to say something and use the voice that God has given them. Ultimately, it all comes down to this: Are we willing to live what we believe?”

Research showed that teachers and administrators must play an active role, too. In the journal, Preventing and Countering School-Based Harassment by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory in Portland, OR, prevention starts with strong policies, training employees what to look for, communicating to the entire school community there will be no tolerance for it and earnestly investigate reports of sexual harassment.

Upper School Principal Wendy Morris said, “The Student Handbook is very specific, and we take any kind of harassment seriously.”

School policy states:

“The environment at PCA must be one in which all individuals are free to work, learn and develop relationships without fear or intimidation or humiliation as a result of unwanted or unacceptable behavior from others. This includes verbal or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual because of his/her actual perceived identity with regard to race, color, gender, age, disability, political beliefs, national or ethnic origin, any other distinguishing physical or personality characteristics, or any other characteristic protected by law. It is essential to the well-being of all that students, teachers and staff members treat each other with due respect for rights, individuality and personal dignity.”