Report Says Nearly Two Thirds Of College Students Say They've Been Sexually Harassed

[MrsSpringsteen]

I can't believe so many of them think sexual harassment is "funny"


http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060124/dctu024.html?.v=43

WASHINGTON, Jan. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- A report released today by the American Association of University Women Educational Foundation (AAUW Educational Foundation) suggests that sexual harassment pervades campus life. According to Drawing the Line: Sexual Harassment on Campus, a majority of U.S. college students encounter some type of sexual harassment and about one-third say that they have been physically harassed while at college.

Both male and female students encounter sexual harassment, but female students who have been sexually harassed are more likely to say they feel self-conscious or embarrassed, angry, less sure of themselves or less confident, afraid or scared, confused or conflicted about who they are and disappointed in their college experience as a result of sexual harassment. This report analyzes findings from a nationally representative survey of undergraduate students and is the most comprehensive research to date on sexual harassment on college campuses.

OVERVIEW OF RESEARCH FINDINGS:

* Sexual harassment is widespread on college campuses: Nearly two-thirds
(62 percent) of undergraduate students say they have encountered some
type of sexual harassment and nearly one-third of students (35 percent
of female students and 29 percent of male students) say the harassment
is physical, such as being touched, grabbed, or pinched in a sexual way.

* Sexual harassment takes an especially heavy toll on female students:
More than two-thirds (68 percent) of female students who experience
sexual harassment feel very or somewhat upset as a result. Conversely,
only one-third (35 percent) of male students admit to being very or
somewhat upset. Among female students who encountered sexual harassment,
one-third (32 percent) said they felt afraid and about one-fifth (18
percent) said that they felt disappointed in their college experience as
a result of sexual harassment.

* Most harassers think sexual harassment is funny. Half of male students
(51 percent) and almost one-third of female students (31 percent) admit
to harassing someone in college. A majority of students (59 percent) who
admit to harassing another student say they did so because they thought
it was funny, as opposed to nearly one-third (32 percent) who thought
the person liked it, and less than one-fifth (17 percent) who wanted a
date with the person.

* Students rarely report sexual harassment to a college employee, yet many
would like a way to report incidents: Only 7 percent of students say
they reported sexual harassment to a faculty member or other college
employee. More than half of students (57 percent) would like their
college or university to offer a confidential, web-based method for
submitting complaints about sexual harassment. Nearly half (47 percent)
would like their college or university to designate an office or person
to contact about sexual harassment.

 

[A_Wanderer]

I would be very interested to find what begins to constitute sexual harrassment.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_harassment

just part of the info there...

Sexual harassment is harassment of a sexual nature, typically in the workplace or other setting where raising objections or refusing may have negative consequences. In American employment law, it is defined as any unwelcome sexual advance or conduct on the job, having the effect of making the workplace intimidating or hostile. Sexual harassment is considered a form of illegal discrimination and is a form of sexual and psychological abuse, ranging from mild transgressions to serious abuses. Indeed, psychologists and social workers report that severe and/or chronic sexual harassment can have the same psychological effects on victims as rape or sexual assault. Backlash and retaliation for complaining about the harassment can further aggravate the effects. For example, in 1995, Judith Coflin committed suicide after chronic sexual harassment by her bosses and coworkers. (Her family was later awarded 6 million dollars in damages.)

The definition of the phrase Sexual Harassment can be broad and controversial, depending on each individual's opinion of what harassment is, and misunderstandings can abound. The term was coined in 1974 at Cornell University. While typical sexual harassment behaviour usually includes unwanted touching of a co-worker's private parts, lewd comments, talk about gender superiority, sexual jokes, demands for sexual favors, etc., some companies have reported that they have had to fire employees (after a co-worker has complained of sexual harassment) for such actions as telling the complaining co-worker how good he or she looks for that co-worker's date with another person, or for simply handing what seemed, to the fired employee, to be just a harmless compliment. Street harassment is generally considered another form of sexual harassment.

 

[A_Wanderer]

Too often extremely subjective.

jokes of a lewd and offensive nature for instance should be protected free speech because people should not have a right not to be offended. Talking about somebodies sexual attributes could be a bit more clear. Reaching over for a grope however would certainly cross the line.

When we get to the levels where terms of endearment are contrary to speech codes then it reaches the height of absurdity. All of this may be reinforced by the degree to which these ideologies are drummed into the people with all manner of tollerence and diversity messages.

Distinctions between compliments, humour, threat and nonconsensual contact. I would wager the reason that people may find it funny is because it was a running conversation within a group and certain substances may have induced looser tongues than usual.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I think the best and easiest thing to do is to maintain professional attitudes and behaviors in the workplace and in school/college-there's no need to engage in questionable behavior. That way you don't have to wonder if what you are doing is inappropriate

It's kind of like that "definition" of pornography-you know it whan you see it. I think most people, if they think about it earnestly , know when they are being inappropriate.

 

[BVS]

It would be interesting to see what definitions this study used.

There have been a couple times in my life where I have been sexually harassed given certain definitions. Some of those times even seemed to be very humerous to those around.

 

[randhail]

I'm curious to know where this sexual harassment has occured. Is it in the classroom, dining halls, or at parties? Based on where it occurs determines it severity in my opinion.

 

[A_Wanderer]

A factor of many no doubt.

 

[anitram]

I think the best and easiest thing to do is to maintain professional attitudes and behaviors in the workplace and in school/college-there's no need to engage in questionable behavior. That way you don't have to wonder if what you are doing is inappropriate

I absolutely agree.

There is no need to discuss a woman's assets in the workplace, even if you think it's funny. You don't know if the person will be offended even in the event you were complimentary to her. And you can't define who should be offended by this or that. You have absolutely no idea of that person's background and set of circumstances or the context in which they were offended or how deep it goes. A person who may have been abused as a kid would surely have a different reaction to an "innocent" comment than maybe somebody without that sort of baggage.

What's wrong with people keeping certain thoughts to themselves?

 

[Irvine511]

What's wrong with people keeping certain thoughts to themselves?

how dare you infringe on my right to say Merry Christmas!!!!!!!

 

[joyfulgirl]

I have been verbally and physically sexually harrassed many times in my life. As someone else said, when it happens, you usually know it.

But there was one time when it was a very gray area and I'd be interested in what you all think. It was back in NY when I worked in publishing. We had published one of Howard Stern's books and when it arrived in our offices hot off the press, my boss opened it to a random page and began reading outloud. I happened to be the only woman standing there in a group of about 5 men. Not only was I the only woman, but the lowest on the totem pole and all these men were in senior level executive positions. The page he randomly turned to was classic Stern humor at a woman's expense. I don't remember exactly what the passage was about but I remember it was sexually explicit and demeaning to women in a way that made me extremely uncomfortable. I kept thinking he was going to stop and say something like, "Oops, maybe better pick a different passage..." because he was actually a really kind gentleman and always very respectful of me and women in general. But he kept reading outloud because the men were dying laughing. It went on and on. I was too young and inexperienced at the time to stand up for myself the way I would today so I just sat there not laughing and looking uncomfortable. Every one of those men should have known better and to this day I don't know if that was sexual harrassment or just really bad taste. I gave them the benefit of the doubt since it was an isolated incident and I had never ever gotten any weird vibes from any of them before but I bet some women would have gotten a lawyer and had a case.

 

[financeguy]

I would like to see more of the methodology of the survey. 66% sounds incredibly high.

 

[U2democrat]

I would like to see more of the methodology of the survey. 66% sounds incredibly high.

Are you in college? Sounds about right to me, unfortunately.

 

[A_Wanderer]

Sexual Harrassment Panda

 

[nbcrusader]

I think the best and easiest thing to do is to maintain professional attitudes and behaviors in the workplace and in school/college-there's no need to engage in questionable behavior. That way you don't have to wonder if what you are doing is inappropriate

This standard of behavior need not be limited to work or school places.

But, I think it would be low on the average colleges student's list of priorities to live above-reproach across the board.

 

[financeguy]

Sexual Harrassment Panda

I was just waiting for someone to post that.

 

[nathan1977]

Sexual harassment seems to be very much in the eye of the beholder.

Example: a career adviser in my former workplace (a college on the East Coast) liked to sit by the receptionist's desk and make comments about the attractiveness of the students walking in.

He was gay.

The uncomfortable receptionist didn't feel like she could say anything, because my boss (our director) was also gay.

The counselor was eventually let go (not for harassment, but for incompetence).

So, in these ever-more complicated times, the question remains what constitutes harassment and what doesn't -- which seems to be a very subjective question indeed.

Or to put it another way...

Was Romeo sexually harassing Juliet when he stalked her?

 

[MsGiggles]

Most work places as well as universities DO have thier own sexual harrassment policies in place - however a lot of people actually won't/don't report it for various reasons

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

And you can't define who should be offended by this or that. You have absolutely no idea of that person's background and set of circumstances or the context in which they were offended or how deep it goes. A person who may have been abused as a kid would surely have a different reaction to an "innocent" comment than maybe somebody without that sort of baggage.

Excellent point, people have differing sensitivities so we must keep that in mind.

When I was just out of college I interviewed for a receptionist job at a high end, well known company. It was at the main office entrance. This creep interviewing me gave me all this bs about how I would be the first face clients would see/the first impression of the company, etc. Then he proceeded to ask me if I would be willing to do "anything to keep the clients happy" (the tone and the way he said it left no doubt if there ever was any to begin with).That is blatant sexual harassment to me, looking back on it it makes me so disgusted and angry. I answered along the lines of "anything within reason". I would like to think now I wouldn't be as timid and I wouldn't take something like that without calling someone out on it. I'd like to think- but that is a very intimidating situation, when you are looking for a job. Creeps like that take advantage of that. I guess he thought it was "funny" too.

I don't recall any incident at college, I commuted so maybe that was one factor. I had respectful professors and the men in my classes were pretty respectful too.

 

[Bono's shades]

If this only takes sexual harrassment in the classroom into the account, I'd have a hard time believing the figures would be this high. But if it counts stuff like getting groped by some Neanderthal at a keg party, I could certainly believe it would be that high.

 

[Dreadsox]

Thanks for posting this!