Teenage peer sexual harassment: implications for social work practice in education

Abstract

Peer sexual harassment is an often overlooked problem for both girls and boys in the educational environment. This article provides a historical framework for defining peer sexual harassment as a sex discrimination issue and a description of peer sexual harassment as a potential mental health issue. The article also reviews the limited empirical research on teenage peer sexual harassment, which has consistently revealed that nearly four of five adolescents are the targets of sexual harassment by their peers. Finally, the authors explore a theoretical context in which to understand sexual harassment and the implications for social work practice in education.