Harassment on Campus?

[Puritan]

I was reading the Washington Post online, and I ran across this story http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/24/AR2006012401540.html which cites a survey saying something like 62% of people on campus have experienced sexual harassment. While I can't say I've seen this type of thing, I am somewhat secluded in the engineering school as there are very few women around, and the guys in my classes are generally more concerned about their grades than doing junk like this. Anyone seen this around their campus/school? If this statistic is a true indicator of the way things are in most colleges, I find it disturbing.

[Slater]

I don't think it happens around my campus too much, since SFSU has its own police department constantly looking for troublemakers.

[Lynx]

actually it's not something only done to women, i've seen it happen on my campus to some friends of mine who are men, specifically homosexuals. (let's not turn this into a debate please.)

but you're right, it is disturbing, and uncalled for, and the victim could be anyone regardless of gender or sexual orientation. everyone deserves to feel safe at their school.

[Shao Feng-Li]

I'm so glad I'm homeschooled.

[Sakura15]

I'm so glad I'm homeschooled.

Amen sister.

[mechana2015]

Unfortunately you can't homeschool University, which is what this article is in reguard to.
I have seeen where this could come into play at almost any university, considering I've heard of professors that hit on any female member of the class, though over 50 percesnt seems a bit high to me. Unfortunately its not entirely unfeasable.

[EireWolf]

I suppose it would depend greatly on how one defines sexual harrassment. Sexual harrassment is unwanted sexual advances or obscene comments. This can be somewhat subjective by its very nature. If a girl thinks that sexual harrassment is when a guy she doesn't like looks at her or tries to talk to her, for example, then I can understand the inflated percentage.

[Lady Macbeth]

And that's why we have middle fingers.

Seriously speaking, though, I think (except in situations such as Puritan mentioned, where there is less co-ed education) this happens almost everywhere to almost everybody. (As the number 62% would indicate.)

Personally, I think most cases of harassment can be just as easily ignored as anything else. Suggestive glances - whoo. (I've found turning your eyelids inside out and looking back at them usually remedies this, if it bothers you that much.) Cat-calling, name-calling, throwing things at you that don't really harm you - those do just as much damage as they did in Elementary School, and rank in the same maturity level. They bruise the ego and make the person doing it look stupid.

Serious cases of harassment - inappropriate touching, inappropriate solicitations (a professor soliciting a student is against the school code at most universities), intentional injury of others - those are matters that need to be taken up with the person first (they may not truly realize the behavior is unwanted) then the school authorities if the behavior persists or if the person is agressive about you confronting them on it.

As the article states:

The survey found that men and women are almost equally likely to say they had been sexually harassed on campus, but in different ways. Men are more likely to be called anti-gay slurs, and women are more likely to receive sexual comments or looks. Women are more likely to be uncomfortable about such incidents, the survey found, and men are more likely to laugh harassment off.

The situation with men applies to straight men as well. That's why references to homosexuals in that article is in a different paragraph.

I got the less-serious harassment every year I was in school - I can't say I handled it the best, but I managed to put a stop to most of it. (My middle fingers are the strongest on my hands aside from my thumbs, because they got the most use. )

UW-Barron County was really good about counter-acting harassment, however. Incoming freshmen got a BIG speech about it, and professors didn't tolerate it (even the ogling or jokes) in the classroom.

[Ashley]

I go to a Seminary now, so obviously I'm a bit sheltered from that kind of behavior, but even when I went to the University of Houston, I never had an ounce of anything remotely like this, unless you count much older guys trying to take me out to coffee to "study" (aka give them the answers for the test), to whom I gave a resounding no.

[Puritan]

Mmm, that might be part of it, but it is disturbing even accounting for inflated statistics. And I have to agree, homeschool only protects you from this type of thing until college. Even going to public school, I was shocked at the way some people in college acted It's simply a shame that such things go on, and I think that this is the tip of the iceberg as far as problems in college go. While my college does try to cut down on this type of thing, simply the environment is going to cause this type of stuff.

[FadedOne]

I go to a Seminary now, so obviously I'm a bit sheltered from that kind of behavior, but even when I went to the University of Houston, I never had an ounce of anything remotely like this, unless you count much older guys trying to take me out to coffee to "study" (aka give them the answers for the test), to whom I gave a resounding no.

wow, i'm surprised. 'cause from what i remember from caa pictures, you're quite pretty. Sounds like a blessing from God that you didn't have to deal with any vulgarity.

while i've not really dealt with this kind of thing first-hand (unless you count sexual solicitation through the net. yes, that's happened. disturbing), I hear about this kind of thing from friends at public colleges. It's pretty disgusting.

However, I'll warrant a guess that the more reserved and non-suggestive one is, the less likely one is to have true harrasment problems. To some extent, one kind of calls this kind of thing on themselves by acting in a sexual manner, flirting, etc and then....wow, someone's coming onto the woman. big surprise. at least...to some extent.

[Puguni]

I read that article today in the paper. I thought it was a shame. :|

[Lady Macbeth]

However, I'll warrant a guess that the more reserved and non-suggestive one is, the less likely one is to have true harrasment problems. To some extent, one kind of calls this kind of thing on themselves by acting in a sexual manner, flirting, etc and then....wow, someone's coming onto the woman. big surprise. at least...to some extent.

Part of it is that, and part of it is who you associate with, what causes you back, what clubs you're in - everything about your life. Just like someone could have cooties in second grade because their cat was ugly (however that connection could ever be made ) people in college will get sexual harassment just because the person doesn't like something else about their lifestyle.

Part of my harassment came from how I dressed - even though I wasn't an Art major, I was an "art student" (meaning I focused heavily on art while I was there) and so my fashion changed daily. Size, shape, materials, design, coordination, everything. That gets you harassment.

I did not make a habit of ducking my head or avoiding eye contact with people. That gets you (if you're a girl) harassment.

I was the campus newspaper Editor, Co-chair of the Campus Alliance, President of the History Club, Student of the Year, and a supporter of the Campus Greens and Phi Theta Kappa - those get you harassment, particularly the Alliance.

A good chunk of the campus knew that I am Pagan, because they read my editorials or saw that I hung out with other Pagans. That gets you harassment (big time).

The kid in the corner who never talks, never makes eye contact, never speaks out, never participates in clubs, never hangs out with others and never participates in campus activities is never harrassed - or if they are, they don't see it, so they don't realize they're harrassed.

A good portion of harassment happens when you can't see it - I've caught guys making obscene gestures and saying obscene things about me when they thought I couldn't see or hear them, until something from my backpack bounced off the back of their head. The more conscious you are of your surroundings or the more self-conscious you are, the more you tend to notice such behavior. That's why there's also a negative stigma for those who report harassment - they're viewed as nosy, tattle-tales or over-sensitive babies.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

I was bullied/harrassed a huge amount at highschool ant TAFE (tafe's a bit like University/college whatever). TAFE was probably worst since I didn't have friends there and everyone in the class (Graphic Design course) were not nice to me. I got paid out about being a Christian so much that I had enormous struggles doing my best in the course. I hated going there so much, but ended up doing the three years (the last was the worst).

Thankfully I haven't been sexually abused (physically) but metally I have many times (still not unusual but should know better at TAFE). Because I'm a Christian many people said things like, "So how many times have you been raped by your priest?" Ugh! That disqusts me and did nothing for my self-esteem or time at TAFE. It was Hell on Earth.

[Ashley]

Completely off topic, but forgive me:

wow, i'm surprised. 'cause from what i remember from caa pictures, you're quite pretty. Sounds like a blessing from God that you didn't have to deal with any vulgarity.

Well thank you. Too bad most the guys I know don't see me that way! I think being a smart, vocal girl just sort of kills any attraction guys have to me XD

[Warrior4Christ]

While I am surpised by the high figure of 62%, I think a large majority of the 'sexual harassment' is very minor and is a situation where you can simply ignore the harasser. I usually take statistics with two grains of salt anway.

In my two years, thankfully I don't recall hearing of any sexual harassment, nor seen any myself. The only minor (non-sexual) harassment occurances which I would have known of could be counted on one hand.

But then again, I hang around in the groups which are less at risk of harassment.

[Puritan]

I think part of it is the, shall I say, Aura of a girl. I would definately deny that harrassment is ever a girl's fault, but from my experience people with certain personalities are just less likely to have problems. While I havn't seen this type of thing in college, in High School it seemed like the smart vocal girls (to quote you, Ashley) were far less likely to be attacked in this fashion because there were easier targets. While people with certain views or lifestyles also come under alot of fire, I would suspect that certain groups of people actually harass quiet and reserved girls more because they are easier targets. At least, this is what I see from my experience. My sister complains about being left out (for she is also highly intelligent and outspoken), but talking to her and other girls, it seems like she has escaped this type of junk despite her looks.

[Yumie]

I am homeschooled also, (and I know this thread is only referring to universities, so forgive me for going off on a tangent here) so I don't have to deal with that junk at school or anything, but it seems like no matter where you go there's always somebody there who wants to gawk at you or shout at you if you're even relatively attractive. And there's not really much you can do about it-- if you make any kind of eye contact, it just encourages them. Pretty much the best you can do is keep looking straight forward and walk a little faster. And I don't feel remotely comfortable flipping anyone off, because I'm a Christian whether they know it or not and I need to live like it, so that's just too harsh for me. But I wish there was like some kind of second degree hand-gesture or something that just said "get lost" without having the same connotation. . . wouldn't that be nice? Wouldn't even have to make eye contact!

[Xeno]

I've seen this kind of stuff happen, as it happened to me at the begining of my senior year of high school. I moved to a new school and some punk freshman thought it'd be funny to try something. I actually make a thread here about it back when it happened.

EDIT: I just went back and re-read the thread I made back when it happened in 2004. Sorry for not completely following up on it with you guys. Everything worked out in the end, he got kicked off the football team, and it got put in his record, he and his friends left me alone for the remainder of the year. And then I graduated in May '05.

[Kisa]

This is why I am glad I go to a Christian University. Its not as bad, but there, easier to avoid tho...

[shooraijin]

This is why I am glad I go to a Christian University. Its not as bad, but there, easier to avoid tho...

Why, how often does it happen there (especially since I know where you go, so I'd be rather disappointed to hear that it happens with some regularity)?

[PigtailsJazz]

I go to ASU, where if you walk along any major road and you are female, you WILL be yelled at, whistled at, or honked at by some creepy guy. Some would consider that sexual harassment, and that would boost that statistic. I, however, simply consider it to be really annoying and creepy.

[Yumie]

I go to ASU, where if you walk along any major road and you are female, you WILL be yelled at, whistled at, or honked at by some creepy guy. Some would consider that sexual harassment, and that would boost that statistic. I, however, simply consider it to be really annoying and creepy.

Ugh-- that makes me so mad, here where I live if you're anywhere NEAR the road and in view, SOMEBODY feels obliged to cat call. I wonder-- they are driving by so fast that really the only thing that they'd have time to notice is small person, long hair. But there are some small guys with long hair. So, I have to wonder if they don't accidentally shout at other guys sometimes. That'd be embarrassing.

[PigtailsJazz]

Ugh-- that makes me so mad, here where I live if you're anywhere NEAR the road and in view, SOMEBODY feels obliged to cat call. I wonder-- they are driving by so fast that really the only thing that they'd have time to notice is small person, long hair. But there are some small guys with long hair. So, I have to wonder if they don't accidentally shout at other guys sometimes. That'd be embarrassing.

I wouldn't be surprised if they did! hehe