This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Schools

Study: Nearly Half of Students Nationwide Experience Sexual Harassment in School

FCPS monitors sexual harassment complaints and trains students on its policies.

Even though nearly half of all students have experienced or witnessed sexual harassment, less than 10 percent have reported it to an adult, according to a study released last week.

In a nationwide survey  by the American Association of University Women (AAUW), 48 percent of 7th - to 12th-graders have been harassed sexually in school. The survey shows 9 percent of the incidents are reported to a teacher or other adult at school.

Fairfax County Public Schools believes its has a disparity between incidents and reports.

Find out what's happening in Restonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"We know kids are not telling adults the level that it's happening," said Mary Ann Panarelli, director of Intervention and Prevention Services of the FCPS' Department of Special Services.

In the Virginia Safe Schools Information Resource (SSIR), FCPS reported 150 sexual harassment violations involving 139 individuals during the 2010-2011 school year. The number reflects incidents involving both students and staff. FCPS is required to file sexual harassment disciplinary reports annually to the Virginia Board of Education.

Find out what's happening in Restonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In FCPS policy, sexual harassment — defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature amounting to or constituting harassment — is addressed twice: in a school board policy that delineates how to proceed when someone submits a complaint, and in the Student Rights and Responsibilities handbook to prohibit students from sexually harassing other students.

Students accused of sexual harassment violations are subject to the disciplinary procedures outlined in the SR&R, and most often are handled by the principals at the school level.

It is unclear how many FCPS students have been accused of sexual harassment by other students. The FCPS Annual Youth Survey — which asks students in sixth, eighth, 10th and 12th grades to answer questions about many issues — does not directly address sexual harassment, though it does ask students about their experience with bullying, cyberbullying and racial/cultural harassment.

Part of the problem is students do not understand the definition of sexual harassment, Panarelli said. At the school level, the approach is to try to teach students the line between inappropriate and appropriate behavior.

Every year, Fairfax County counselors in middle and high schools provide guidance to seventh- through 12th-graders about sexual harassment, making them aware of the school policy against harassment.

In the AAUW study, 33 percent of girls and 24 percent of boys said they had witnessed sexual harassment at school. But only 24 percent of the female witnesses and 17 percent of the male witnesses tried to help the victim.

The study comes 10 years after AAUW’s groundbreaking Hostile Hallways study, which documented the prevalence of sexual harassment in schools. The 2011 survey confirms that despite awareness and school policies, sexual harassment not only persists, but hurts students' ability to learn.

The AAUW found that nearly 90 percent of those harassed said it had a negative effect on them. While some incidents might appear minor, such as being the target of sexual comments or being called gay or lesbian, they can have a profound impact on the emotional well-being of some students. "Feeling sick to one's stomach or being unable to concentrate at school may not be sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive for legal action, but it can certainly impact the educational experience," the report found.

Verbal harassment — unwelcome sexual comments, jokes or gestures — is the top offender. New since the last study, student sexual harassment by text, email, Facebook, or other electronic means impacted 30 percent of students surveyed. 

The AAUW study concludes with strategies to combat sexual harassment in schools.

  • Students: Report the incident to an adult you trust.
  • Administrators: Vocalize a strong no sexual harassment message to the entire school.
  • Teachers and guidance counselors: Learn how to respond appropriately when you witness harassment and when students report it.
  • Parents: Serve as good role models and respond sensitively if students report problems. 

To read the entire report, click here.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?