The mere mention of the term is enough to stir up emotion. Yet we’re so quick to blame the kids. Maybe there's enough blame to go around to all of us.
It's convenient to blame the kids for sexual harassment. To many people, these incidents are just more proof that our kids have no morals, no conscience, no empathy. Yes, there are many situations where a teen is intentionally trying to humiliate or degrade another child, and these students should be dealt with accordingly. But increasingly, many of the behaviors teens engage in that are routinely labeled as “sexual harassment” really ought to come as no surprise. Look at our society, and the types of attitudes and images kids are exposed to on a regular basis. Hello???? Is it surprising then that they think that insulting sexual remarks, touching, provocative rumors, and the like should be the norm in their interactions with each other? What else would you expect them to think?
Kids are involved in a sort of runaway culture that is moving so faster that many parents simply can’t keep up. The images and themes permitted on TV and in movies are more provocative than ever before. Electronic media (which kids can operate better than we can) is available today that can provide kids with lightning fast access to the kinds of things we used to be able to see only if somebody had a magazine hidden under their mattress. The images are more interactive, more lifelike, more recurring, and more available.
This issue brings to the fore an interesting but rarely talked about intersection of maturity level and culture for our kids. If developmentally they are not able to handle and process much of the sexual content that is in their faces on a regular basis, should we be aghast that it comes to the surface in their daily interactions with one another?
Something else to think about: Given the fact that children who are sexually abused often act out sexually without even understanding what they are doing, maybe we need to consider the fact that our culture may be sexually abusing, or at least harassing, our kids. Hmmmm.....
Let's face it: As a whole, we have evolved into a society with pretty lax norms and attitudes about kids and sexual content. Assuming that this has no effect on kid's thinking and behavior is ludicrous. We have to realize that many are just acting out what they see, what they think they are supposed to be doing, what they think makes them attractive and popular and wanted and loved. The education we try to give them in this area often feels like a drop in the bucket compared to all the forces that seem to be fighting us.
