It Starts With a Question

By Heather Pennison

Beginning in elementary school, I've been exposed to many instances of sexual harassment. I wasn't aware of the magnitude of the problem until I was in high school. I thought little of the sexual gestures, comments, jokes, and physical contact I experienced. Harassment had become part of school life. It had become the norm. But the things I have witnessed and experienced would not have been acceptable during my parents' school tenures.

While in high school I was forced to open my eyes. I started seeing instances of sexual harassment three, four, five times a day. The frequency with which it happened made me pay more attention. During my sophomore year, I watched a friend get shoved against the lockers and groped by a senior. This occurred during lunch, in a crowded hallway, with teachers standing nearby. No one came to her rescue. No one seemed to care. This shocked me. How could it be possible to fall victim to such a disturbing event?

In response, I wrote a letter to the administration explaining my concerns. I wanted something to change. I was fearful for my friends and myself. Upon receiving my letter, the principal asked me to his office to discuss the matter. He wanted specific names, times, dates, and events I couldn't give him. Sexual harassment was so prevalent that it would have taken several pages and several hours to recount the instances I had witnessed - instances that ranged from mild sexual harassment like catcalls and sexual jokes to more crude gestures like groping and asking for sexual favors.

I suggested starting a sexual harassment awareness and prevention program at our school. The school had previously started an alcohol awareness campaign, so I didn't think incorporating sexual harassment would be difficult. I was told my ideas would be considered, and I was promised action would be taken.

The only action I'm aware of was the implementation of a harsher dress code. As our administration explained during our orientation at the beginning of the next school year, dressing provocatively caused sexual harassment. We were informed that to stop getting negative attention, we should dress appropriately.

This was an outrage to me. I vowed at the moment to start researching sexual harassment programs already in place and was shocked to learn from my teachers that sexual harassment training was not a requirement at my school. How can administrators and teachers enforce a sexual harassment policy when they have no training in what sexual harassment is?

I'm now a sophomore at Georgia Southern University, one of eleven colleges awarded a scholarship from the American Association of University Women. I'm part of the Campus Action Program team sponsored by AAUW. In January 2006 I participated in the press release of Drawing the Line: Sexual Harassment on Campus. I was surprised by the overwhelming support and recognition I received. Students around the country sent several messages through Facebook. They wanted to know how to get involved. Brett Duvall from Georgia State wrote, "I applaud you for humanizing the [AAUW] study and for helping to direct attention to a serious problem within academia."¹ James Wilcox of Westfield State said: "[Sexual harassment is] certainly a disturbing trend, even at a small school like mine (maybe 2,000 full time students at the most) and definitely one of those glossed-over issues that hasn't been addressed directly enough here or just about anywhere. Anyway, it's good to see that the issue is getting some attention."²

Getting involved is easy. It starts with a question, ambition, and a real desire for change. My question from the beginning has been "Why is sexual harassment happening?" With this scholarship, I now have the chance to do the research. I'm distributing a survey to a sample of students to find out how prevalent sexual harassment is on my campus. I'm staying in close contact with members of AAUW for the latest news and support. But most importantly, I'm asking the questions that need to be asked. That's how it starts. And from there, it grows.

 

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¹Duvall, Brett. "Re: CNN.com" Facebook message to the author. 24 January 2006.

²Wilcox, James. "Re: CNN article on Sexual Harassment." Facebook message to author. 25 January 2006.