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It’s apparent that sexual harassment is part of everyday life. Recent Times-Call opinion pieces by Ralph Josephsohn and Sally Lyons-Ragin considered the effect that this noxious behavior has on adult women in the workplace. Unfortunately, verbal and physical sexual harassment also affects nearly half of students in grades 7-12, at an age when they are less equipped to appropriately respond, according to a study by the American Association of University Women.
This number may come as a surprise, in part because half of surveyed students said they did not report harassment and did nothing in response. But many said they suffered emotionally, resulting in decreased productivity and increased absenteeism. What can we do? One response is to provide more education. For the past 10 years, AAUW's Longmont Branch has supported peer-led programs such as Safe Shelter’s Teens Ending Relationship Abuse and YWCA's Verbal Self-Defense for Girls.
Our schools also need stronger support for educating students about what constitutes sexual harassment and how to respond, as well as increased funding for Title IX enforcement. The most recent U.S. Department of Education's data shows that nationwide, 79% of schools reported zero incidents of sexual harassment in grades 7-12. In that same database, 90% of Colorado schools reported zero incidents. This contrasts sharply with almost 50% of students who reported sexual harassment when interviewed. The highest reporting rates came from schools with strong bullying or harassment policies, and schools with well-supported Title IX coordinators. This suggests that education and having a strong system in place make students more comfortable in reporting. St Vrain Valley Schools have been working on their bullying and harassment policies over the past year. Let's make sure they have the support they need to be effective, and give our kids the best chance to benefit from their time in school.
Darcy Juday
Public Policy Chair
AAUW Longmont
This is an opinion piece that was submitted to the Longmont Observer. It does not, necessarily, represent the views of the Longmont Observer. To submit an opinion piece, or a letter to the editor, please visit our Submit An Opinion page on our website.
