STOP SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND SEXUAL EXPLOITATION
Women deserve respect, not to be treated like a sex object!

SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Sexual harassment in schools is defined as “unwanted and unwelcome behavior of a sexual nature that interferes with the right to receive an equal educational opportunity” (Stein). This could be as simple as a classmate catcalling a fellow student or as extreme as a classmate raping a fellow student. Catcalling is defined as an unwanted comment that offends the individual to whom the catcall was targeted. Females are the main focus because “not only were girls more likely than boys to say sexual harassment caused them to have trouble sleeping” and “not want to go to school” but also “change the way they went to or home from school” (Hill and Kearl). The education of sexually harassed females is at risk because female students feel vulnerable and powerless.

SEXUAL EXPLOITATION

Sexual exploitation is defined as “an act or acts committed through non-consensual abuse or exploitation of another person’s sexuality for...sexual gratification, financial gain, personal benefit or advantage, or any other non-legitimate purpose” (SHARE). Sexual exploitation happens because “children and young people are often tricked into believing they're in a loving and consensual relationship...They may trust their abuser and not understand that they're being abused” (NSPCC).

IMPACTS

Additionally, the psychological and emotional impacts of experiencing sexual harassment in schools include feelings of embarrassment, self-consciousness, low self-confidence, fear, confusion, and doubt about whether they could ever have a happy romantic relationship” (Hostile Hallways). According to studies done by Ormerod, Gådin, Hammarström, Lichty, and Campbell, when girls experience sexual harassment they are reminded “of the gender-power imbalance that exists in most societies” (Qtd in Hill and Kearl, Ormerod et al., 2008; Gådin & Hammarström, 2005; Lichty & Campbell, 2011). This may cause girls to normalize sexual harassment and think it is “no big deal” it is just part of being a female (Hill and Kearl). Moreover, schools do not take appropriate action against offenders of sexual harassment which causes students to rebel and walk “out of their classes in protest” (Schmidt). This is not a new issue, in fact, as of “1993, eight in 10 students (81 percent) report having experienced some form of harassment in their school lives” (Hostile Hallways).