Hostile Hallways: The AAUW Survey on Sexual Harassment in America's Schools.

Washington, DC: American Association of University Women, 1993. 22 pp. $8.95 (AAUW members); $11.95 nonmembers. The American Association of University Women has released the findings of a study on sexual harassment in the 8th through 11th grades. The results are disturbing. The report is based on a Louis Harris and Associates study of over 1,600 male and female students in 79 randomly selected schools across the United States. The results indicate that 81 percent of America's children have experienced sexual harassment in their teen years severe enough to "interfere with your life."

The study's definition of harassment encompasses 14 categories, from unwanted sexual comments to forced sexual activity. In addition to addressing the frequency of harassment, the study explored who was being harassed, where harassment occurred and how children are affected by it. Some of the findings are surprising. For example, the study indicates that school-based harassment first occurs for 7 percent of girls by 3rd grade and 11 percent of both boys and girls by 6th grade. While it is not surprising that less intrusive forms of harassment (e.g., unwanted sexual comments) are the most frequent, the study indicates that being touched or grabbed in a sexual way is ranked second. Perhaps the most disturbing finding, from a teacher's perspective, is where harassment occurs. The hall is the most frequent, but the classroom is ranked number two. Sixty-six percent of the girls and 55 percent of the boys report being harassed in class.

The negative emotional and academic effects resulting from harassment indicate that severe damage is being done to America's students. In the words of one 18-year-old girl, "The experience was unnerving. I was rattled. I felt insecure and vulnerable at school, which should be a safe place for learning."

Hostile Hallways is a thorough and well-documented report on a serious social issue. The authors use graphs combined with narrative description to communicate complex information in a format easily understood and shared with others. The results are disturbing and should provide a call to action by America's parents, teachers and administrators.

This report is one in a series of works on gender bias in education. Other reports may be obtained from: American Association of University Women, AAUW Sales Office, P.O. Box 251, Annapolis, MD 20701-0251.