Sexual Harassment, Peer-to-Peer

Complaints from students regarding sexual harassment from peers are not only common but are on the increase. What was once treated as innocent teasing or behavior that was typically described as “boys will be boys” is now often viewed as offensive, provocative conduct unacceptable at school. These acts of harassment occur on school grounds, at extracurricular events, and on school buses. The increase in reported peer-to-peer sexual harassment may be due to a combination of the increased awareness of sexuality by students, societal acceptance of reporting sexually inappropriate behavior, and an increase in sexually aggressive acts by students.

Much of the peer-to-peer sexual harassment involves bullying types of behavior. Females are often the victims of sexual bullying in the forms of inappropriate or suggestive comments, graphic ...