Sexual Harassment and Assault

sexual harassment

• Harassment:  Words or actions that are not welcome, demeaning in nature or that make a person feel uncomfortable
• three types of harassment:
  • physical
  • verbal
  • non-verbal

stopping harassment

1. Communicate directly and firmly to the harasser (assertive)

If the harassment continues..

2. Keep a diary or log of what is happening.  Including dates, times and witnesses
3. Talk with others around the harasser and find out if they are experiencing similar behavior
4. Seek out a supportive person to share your situation with
5. Keep your class performance up to par, avoid absenteeism
6. If harassment persists, contact principal, dean, counselor or teacher and let them know what is happening

the four pieces of harassment

1. Target:  The person who is being harassed
2. Hostile Environment:  The place where harassment takes place
3. Action:  Physical, verbal or non-verbal harassment
4. Impact:  How the target feels about themselves or the situation after the action

sexual assault

• Rape: Sexual intercourse without a person’s consent, sometimes brought on by threats, force or violence
• Acquaintance (Date) Rape:  The perpetrator is known by the victim

statistics

• Every two minutes, somewhere in America, someone is sexually assaulted.
• One out of every six women has been a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime.
• Approximately one in ten rape victims are male.
• 44% of the victims are young people under the age of 18.
• 25% are raped by a stranger, 48% by friends or acquaintance and 17% by an intimate partner.
• Victims of sexual assault are
  • 3 times more likely to suffer depression
  • 6 times more likely to suffer from post- traumatic stress
  • 14 times more likely to abuse alcohol.
  • 26 times more like to abuse drugs
  • 4 times more likely to contemplate suicide

other terms

• Statutory Rape: sexual activity when a party is under the legal age to consent
  • in Minnesota the legal age to consent is 16
• Consent: Words or overt actions by a person indicating a freely given agreement to perform a sexual act

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