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Current Sexual Harassment Definitions Are Inappropriate for Schools (From What Is Sexual Harassment? P 73-74, 1995, Karin L Swisher, ed. -- See NCJ-164224)

NCJ Number
164434
Author(s)
M Charen
Date Published
1995
Length
2 pages
Annotation
The sexually uncouth behavior of today's school children does not constitute sexual harassment; rather, it reflects the vulgar, violent, and sexually explicit nature of America's media and culture.
Abstract
Under the current messages of American culture, children and adolescents are being raised to think nothing of telling an 11- year-old girl on a school bus to have oral sex with her father (an actual case), or threatening a 12-year-old with rape. Given the exposure of youth to the media that target them, it is not surprising that the halls of schools are filled with coarse sexual talk and aggressive sexual behavior. What is called "sexual harassment" is just vulgar behavior, and it is another of the fruits of the sexual revolution. Parents have lost control of the culture that impacts children and youth, who seek the stimulation of audiovisual media. The world of television, movies, video games, and music is creating a sex-saturated society for children and youth. The only way to address sexually abusive behavior among school children is for parents and other institutions that care about children to both restrict their exposure to such negative behavioral modeling and influence the media that impact youth to cultivate positive behaviors.

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