This post is part of a series focusing on sexual harassment in middle and high school, launched in conjunction with the release of AAUW’s latest research report, Crossing the Line: Sexual Harassment at School, which was supported by the Mooneen Lecce Giving Circle and the Eleanor Roosevelt Fund. Follow @AAUWResearch on Twitter for updates.
By now you probably know that AAUW has released a new research report, Crossing the Line: Sexual Harassment at School, since many journalists across the country have published stories about our findings (which you can see for yourself on our website).
On the surface, we’re thrilled with the media coverage. Yet the reason behind it all is an ugly reaffirmation of why we conducted the research in the first place: Sexual harassment runs viciously unchecked in our schools.
One of the worst news stories we’ve seen this week is that of former Pennsylvania State University football coach Jerry Sandusky’s alleged sexual abuse of young boys. Obviously there’s a big difference between sexual harassment and sexual abuse. But the story reminded me of our research and the dire need to raise concern for boys as well as girls. Yes, we are the American Association of University Women. But that doesn’t mean we don’t care about boys. To the contrary, as their mothers, sisters, aunts, and friends, we care very much.
On that note, I want to highlight some of our findings in Crossing the Line that are related to boys. Not surprisingly, girls reported higher rates of sexual harassment than boys did. But of the small number of girls who admitted to harassing, 50 percent said they sexually harassed a boy. We also found that boys are sexually harassing each other. Regardless of the gender of their harassers, boys don’t come out unscathed. Boys reported being most upset about being called gay, and many said they were uncomfortable when they were shown sexual pictures against their will.
This raises some ugly questions that our report asks but does not answer: Why did the student harassers more willingly admit to sexually harassing boys? What do these findings say about how masculinity is being portrayed in our culture?
We have to answer these questions and others before we can figure out how to end sexual harassment for girls and boys. AAUW is dedicated to this issue, and we will continue to ask and search for answers. But our odds of succeeding are much better if we have help — from students, parents, teachers, policy makers, and yes, the media.
I hope that the awareness and discussion raised by the tragic stories in the news this week, as well as our research, bring us closer to answers — for girls and boys everywhere.
AAUW Dialog 
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