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The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 16, 2008

Stop Sexual Harassment

The emerging statistics are startling: 90 percent of adolescent girls between the ages 12 and 18 report experiencing sexual harassment. This disturbing information comes from a recent study by Campbell Leaper, professor of psychology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, that was published in the May/June issue of Child Development Journal.

According to the study, the most commonly reported forms of sexual harassment were unwanted romantic attention, demeaning gender-related comments, teasing based on appearance and unwanted physical contact.

For many adolescents, sexual harassment is a form of bullying they face every day. Whether it is an inappropriate touch, dirty comments written on the bathroom wall, remarks about parts of their body or a sexist joke or sexual rumor spread on MySpace, they are all forms of sexual harassment that adolescents may experience.

Sexual harassment is any unwanted and unwelcome behavior that makes someone else feel uncomfortable or ashamed.

Like bullying, sexual harassment is about power and control. The harasser will use gestures, written or verbal remarks, or unwanted physical touch to humiliate their victims. Often times, victims are too ashamed to speak out about what is happening to them or to confront the harasser. Nine times out of 10, the harassment takes place in front of other students or bystanders who can either encourage the harasser or confront them.

We need to teach our youth that it is not OK to use power and control over others just as it is not OK for boys and men to be disrespectful to girls and women.

According to the Coaching Boys Into Men violence prevention program, "Boys need role models; they need mentors, teachers and coaches to give them guidance that will help them grow into healthy young men." We need to take an active approach toward addressing issues like sexual harassment with youth while at the same time modeling behavior that is respectful and promotes gender equality.

It is time for us as a community and individuals to come together to address the issue of sexual harassment and speak out about its underlying causes. Whether it is by taking individual action and doing things like stepping in when you see sexual harassment taking place, encouraging young men and boys to respect women and girls, confronting a sexist joke or taking collective action as a group, we all need to do our part.

A good way to get started is by attending the seventh annual The American Dream Congress, which will be held Wednesday. Bullying prevention is the focus of this year's congress, which will include speakers from our Pasco County community who will share their knowledge and expertise.

The congress will be at the Center for the Arts at Wesley Chapel High School from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. To register for this free event, please call Sunrise of Pasco County Inc. at (352) 521-3358 or visit our Web site to download the registration form: www.sunrisepasco .org.

CHRISTINA BATES

Dade City

Bullies Threaten Safety

One of our most basic needs is to feel safe and secure. Can you imagine if you went to your job feeling threatened and uncomfortable every day? Chances are you probably would not be very effective in completing your work.

For the most part schools are safe places, but for children who are bullied, going to school can be very uncomfortable. It is reported that 30 percent of sixth- to 10th-grade students nationwide have been involved in bullying incidents in some way. Florida's prevalence rates are similar to the national average.

Bullying means willfully subjecting another person to repeated, intentional, unwanted and unprovoked hurtful verbal and/or physical actions, which result in feelings of oppression. At the very least, children who find themselves in this situation have difficulty concentrating in school.

Often, being bullied is the reason given by students who are truant from school. In the most extreme cases, bullying can have tragic consequences, as in the case of Jeffrey Johnson, who died by suicide. This young boy's death can be directly attributed to an unending pattern of being bullied on the Internet.

This unhealthy and cruel pattern of behavior needs to stop. To do this we must come together as a community and understand the dynamics of this behavior; after all, bullies are not born. Rather, this is a learned set of behaviors.

As a community, it is important to understand the role we each play in putting an end to bullying behavior. We must work to teach and model for children healthy ways to resolve conflict, build resiliency and respect others.

DAVID CHAMBERLIN

and SHERRI DUNHAM

Land O' Lakes

The writer is Social Change Community organizer for Sunrise of Pasco County Inc. Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Center. The writers are supervisors in the Student Services Department of the District School Board of Pasco County.

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