Sexual harassment: What it is, and what you can do to prevent it. (USA).

Last October, Beth sat quietly as her teacher led a classroom discussion about sexual harassment. Later that day, the sixth-grader from Arizona slipped her teacher a note. In it, she reported that one of her classmates had been harassing her in the hallways.

"Frank has been smacking my butt," Beth wrote. "He also is saying all kinds of stuff to me, and I feel really embarrassed and uncomfortable. I don't know what to do. I tell him to stop, but he still keeps doing this to me."

Beth's story is not uncommon. According to a 2001 study by the American Association of University Women (AAIJW), 80 percent of students have experienced some kind of sexual harassment in school.

Despite the pain and humiliation these incidents can cause, many victims are afraid to report them. Instead of speaking up, they keep quiet--and the harassment continues.

What is Harassment?

Sexual harassment is unwelcome sexual behavior that interferes with a person's life. It is not flirting.

"Flirting is mutual [shared] and makes the person feel good," says Robert Shoop, author of Sexual Exploitation in School: How to Spot It and Stop It. "Harassment is unwanted and makes the person feel bad."

Sexual harassment comes in many forms, and can include grabbing, pinching, or touching, as well as sexual comments or jokes. Spreading rumors or posting e-mail messages about a student's personal behavior can also be considered harassment.

Such behavior isn't just directed at girls. The AAUW reports that male and female students are harassed in nearly equal numbers. No matter who the victim is, harassment takes its toll.

"Sexual harassment does not feel good to get," says Kamille, a seventh-grader from New York. "Mostly it's annoying, but sometimes it makes me feel scared and intimidated [frightened]."

For many victims, harassment causes a sense of helplessness and anxiety. In some cases, the abuse can be so damaging that victims drop out of school.

"Harassment can crush a person's self-esteem," says Mike Domitz, an author who speaks about the topic nationwide.

Students who are harassed "dank feel safe," adds Domitz. "They don't feel comfortable. The fear is there. They feel it. It makes it difficult for them to learn."

While such intimidation can happen anywhere, harassers often prey on their victims outside of the classroom, where they are less likely to get caught. Most harassment occurs in hallways and locker rooms, and on school buses and playgrounds.

In some instances, students may not understand that their behavior is inappropriate (unacceptable). In other cases, however, their motivations (reasons) are clearly wrong.

"Maybe boys sexually harass girls because they want to tease them, they like them, or it is fun to see a reaction," says Malik, a sixth-grade boy from Arizona. Whether or not such teasing is done with ill intent, it can still cause damage.

In the Courts

All students have the right to feel safe in school--it's the law. Ten years ago, LaShonda Davis, then a fifth-grader in a Georgia elementary school, reported that a classmate routinely harassed her. The boy, she said, made sexual comments to her and touched her inappropriately.

LaShonda's teachers did nothing when she complained. So LaShonda's mother sued the school. Eventually, the case went before the U.S. Supreme Court.

In May 1999, the Court ruled in Davis v. Monroe County Board of Education that schools can be held liable (legally responsible) if they fail to take action on repeated reports of student-to-student harassment.

Since the Court's decision, many schools have adopted harassment policies to teach students how to recognize hurtful behavior and how to stop it. In 2001, 69 percent of students reported that their school had a sexual harassment policy in place. That number represented a huge jump from the previous decade, when only 26 percent of students said that their school had such a policy.

Tiffany Kjar (CARE), a sixth-grade teacher in Arizona, says that guidelines are important. "Kids need to recognize when they feel uncomfortable, and that they have a right to say no," Kjar told JS.

Despite many schools' efforts, harassment remains a big problem. One reason is that teachers can't stop what they don't see.

"Kids often keep quiet for fear of being harassed even more if they report [an incident]," says Mike Domitz. "They wonder, 'What will be done if I do speak out?'"

But incidents of harassment can become so routine that students don't even recognize them as a problem.

"Most of the time, girls won't tell on the boys who are harassing them," says Samantha, an eighth-grader from New Jersey. "They either think it happens to everyone else, so it's not a big deal, or they're afraid if they say something, the harasser will get really mad and hurt them or tease them more."

No one should be afraid to report unwelcome behavior, says Debra Haffner, an educator who helps students understand their rights. "Teenagers... need to speak up for themselves," she says. "They need to understand that this is not annoying, but illegal behavior."

Beth, the Arizona sixth-grader, is one who did speak up. As a result, her teacher punished Frank for his behavior. The message was clear: Sexual harassment is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

"It's really hard to tell an adult," Beth says. "But I'm happy that I told my teacher. I'm glad I told somebody I can trust."

RELATED ARTICLE: Flirting or hurting?

Decide whether you think the following situations are example of flirting or sexual harassment. Discuss your answers in class.

1. Sarah sends Miguel flowers.

2. Tim asks two girls in his class to stop making rude phone calls to his home, but the calls continue.

3. When Kara tries to leave a party, Sam pins her arm against the wall and won't let her go.

4. Cynthia's repeated comments about Doug's muscles make him feel uncomfortable.

5. During English class, Joe passes a love letter to Tamika.

Your Turn

WORD MATCH

1. mutual A. frightened

2. intimidated B. unacceptable

3. inappropriate C. legally responsible

4. motivations D. shared

5. liable E. reasons

THINK ABOUT IT

1. How common is sexual harassment in your school? Conduct a survey to find out and present the results to school administrators.

2. Write an editorial for your school or local newspaper. Let everyone know what you think about the problem of sexual harassment.

USA Word Match

1. D

2. A

3. B

4. E

5. C