• by María Aurora Yáñez, M.A. • IDRA Newsletter • March 1999

Sexual harassment has long become a topic of concern for school districts as they struggle to deal with this type of gender discrimination. The Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA) has written several articles to help keep school districts informed on sexual harassment laws, litigation, policies and districts’ responsibilities (Penny-Velázquez, 1994; Penny-Velázquez 1995; Scott, 1996; Yáñez-Pérez, 1997; Yáñez, 1998). Below is a handout on sexual harassment that can be distributed to parents and students. A version in Spanish is also available.

What Parents and Students Should Know

What is sexual harassment?

  • Sexual harassment is unwanted and unwelcome sexual behavior that makes you feel bad. Sexual harassment can include: spreading rumors, sexual cartoons, posters or jokes; touching; requesting sexual favors; or making physical attacks. Sexual harassment is not about sexual attraction, it is about power.
  • Students are protected under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Title IX prohibits sexual harassment, a type of sex discrimination.

There are two identified types of sexual harassment:

  • Quid pro quo sexual harassment basically means “you do something for me and I will do something for you.” Examples include: A teacher threatens to flunk a student unless the student has sex with the teacher. A student threatens a classmate with spreading rumors about her if she refuses to go on a date with him.
  • Hostile environment sexual harassment involves recurring behavior that creates a frightening, offensive and intimidating school environment. Examples include: Students get grabbed or insulted when they walk from class to class. Nasty remarks are written about lesbian or gay students in the restrooms.

Who does it happen to? What is the impact on the victim?

  • Sexual harassment can happen males to males, males to females, females to males, and females to females. It can also occur student to student and adult to student.
  • Victims of sexual harassment often feel confused, misunderstood, guilty, ashamed, angry, frightened, lonely, powerless and hopeless.

What can you do about it if it happens to you?

  • Tell your parents, a friend or a trusted adult. You do not have to handle the situation alone.
  • Tell harassers to stop. It is your right.
  • Inform the school by telling a teacher, counselor, principal, school or district Title IX coordinator, superintendent, school board member and/or state education agency. Keep insisting until the harassment stops.
  • Keep a detailed record of what has happened (who, what, when, where and how).

Who can you turn to if you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual harassment?

  • Title IX coordinator or manager: Most districts have individuals at the campus or district level whose job is to investigate complaints. If your school does not have a Title IX coordinator, contact a principal, counselor or teacher.
  • Office for Civil Rights (OCR): If you feel the district has not done enough to help you, call or write OCR. OCR is the federal agency that enforces Title IX (Office for Civil Rights, Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-4605; Phone 202-260-3887).

– Intercultural Development Research Association
Lo Qué Deben Saber Los Padres de Familia y Estudiantes

¿Qué es el hostigamiento sexual?

  • El hostigamiento sexual es el comportamiento sexual no deseado que te hace sentir mal. El hostigamiento sexual puede incluir: rumores, dibujos animados, pósteres o chistes sexuales, roces, pedir favores sexuales, o ataques físicos. El hostigamiento sexual no es atracción sexual es sobre poder.
  • Estudiantes están protegidos bajo el Título IX de las Enmiendas Educativas de 1972. El Título IX prohíbe el acoso sexual, que se define como un tipo de discriminación.Se han identificado dos tipos de hostigamiento sexual:
  • Quid pro quo: Fundamentalmente significa que tú haces algo por mi y yo hago algo por tí. Ejemplos incluyen: Un maestro amenaza con reprobar a un estudiante si no se presta a tener relaciones con él. Un estudiante amenaza a su compañera con divulgar rumores negativos de ella si no sale con él.
  • Ambiente hostil: Incluye comportamiento que no cesa y que por consecuencia crea un ambiente intimidante, ofensivo y hostil. Ejemplos incluyen: Estudiantes que son tocados en cualquier parte del cuerpo o insultados cuando van a clases. También cuando comentarios maliciosos sobre estudiantes homosexuales son escritos en los baños.¿Quiénes son las víctimas? ¿Qué impacto tiene hacia ellas?
    • El hostigamiento sexual se puede presentar entre hombres y hombres, hombres y mujeres, mujeres y hombres, o mujeres y mujeres. También lo podemos notar entre estudiante y estudiante y entre adultos y estudiantes.
    • Las víctimas de acoso sexual suelen sentir confusión, incomprensión, culpabilidad, vergüenza, rabia, temor, soledad, impotencia, y/o desesperación.

    ¿Qué puedes hacer?

    • Dícelo a tus padres, a una amiga, o a un adulto confiable. No tienes que afrontar la situación sola(o).
    • Ponle un alto al acosador. Es tu derecho.
    • Informa a la escuela diciéndole a una maestra, consejero, directora, coordinadora sobre Título IX en tu escuela o distrito, superintendente, representate de la mesa directiva y/o la agencia de educación estatal. Continúa insistiendo hasta que termine el hostigamiento.
    • Mantén un récord detallado sobre lo qué ha pasado (¿Quién? ¿Qué? ¿Cuándo? ¿Donde? y ¿Cómo?).¿A quién puedes acudir si tú o álguien que tú conoces ha sido víctima de el hostigamiento sexual?
      • Coordinador sobre Título IX: Muchos distritos tienen personas en las escuelas o el distrito cuyo trabajo es investigar las quejas d este tipo. Si tu escuela no tiene una coordinadora, dirigete a una directora, consejero, o maestra.
      • Oficina de Derechos Civiles (OCR): Si piensas que el distrito no ha hecho lo suficiente para ayudarte, llama o escríbele a OCR. OCR es la agencia federal que impone el Título IX (Office for Civil Rights, Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-4605; Phone 202-260-3887).

     

– Intercultural Development Research Association

Resources

Yáñez-Pérez, M.A. “Sexual Harassment Policies in Schools,” IDRA Newsletter (San Antonio: Intercultural Development Research Association, April 1997).

Scott, B. “Administrator’s Alert: Sexual Harassment is Everybody’s Business,” IDRA Newsletter (San Antonio: Intercultural Development Research Association, March 1996).

Yáñez, M.A. “Sexual Harassment: Historical Background and Litigation Update,” IDRA Newsletter (San Antonio: Intercultural Development Research Association, November-December 1998).

Penny-Velázquez, M. “Preventing Sexual Harassment in Schools: A Pro-Active Agenda,” IDRA Newsletter (San Antonio: Intercultural Development Research Association, March 1995).

Penny-Velázquez, M. “Combating Students’ Peer-to-Peer Sexual Harassment: Creating Gender Equity in Schools,” IDRA Newsletter (San Antonio: Intercultural Development Research Association, March 1994).

María Aurora Yáñez, M.A., is a research assistant in the IDRA Division of Research and Evaluation. Comments and questions may be directed to her via e-mail at feedback@idra.org.

[©1999, IDRA. This article originally appeared in the March 1999 IDRA Newsletter by the Intercultural Development Research Association. Permission to reproduce this article is granted provided the article is reprinted in its entirety and proper credit is given to IDRA and the author.]

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