An Exploration of Cultural Differences in Perceptions of and Responses Dissertation

An Exploration of Cultural Differences in Perceptions of and Responses to Sexual Harassment in a Title One High School - Dissertation Example In the current research participants from grades 7 through 11 were studied using a phenomenological approach to understand their perception and response to sexual harassment and correlate this with their cultural background. Interview and observation were used as tools for data collection. An Exploration of Cultural Differences in Perceptions of and Responses to Sexual Harassment in a Title One High School Introduction Sexual harassment (SH) is a gender based phenomenon of extreme concern affecting the present and future life of many young students of either sex throughout the world (Rahimi & Liston, 2011). In U.S. SH in middle and high school has been of common occurrence with almost half (48%) of students confirming to have experienced some form of sexual harassment in a 2011 survey, with approximately 87% admitting that it has an adverse impact on them. This comes as surprise since SH in schools has been infrequently reported (Hill & Kearl, 2011). Sexual harassment, a term origina lly coined with reference to workplace behavior has also come to include incidences in school. In school it refers to sexual conduct that negatively affects students’ academic interests. ... Girls are more frequently a target compared to boys (56% against 40%), with their experiences being more physical and intrusive compared to that of boys (Hand & Sanchez, 2001). Most harassers belong to peer with lesser number of incidences involving school staff (Eckes, 2006). In 1980, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recognized two forms of actionable SH; the quid pro quo harassment and the hostile environment harassment. The former refers to threat or assurance of consequences due to forbidding or offering of sexual favors. These favors may be demanded explicitly or implicitly and must involve substantial consequences. On the other hand hostile environment type of sexual environment refers to the work or school environment becoming totally offensive or difficult as a consequence of sexual overtures, conduct or physical gestures. In either case the environment is uncomfortable and unsuitable for pursue individual goals (Zimbroff, 2007). Legal provisions dealing wit h SH in schools are provided by the Title IX, the Education Amendments, passed by the Congress in 1972. The act states that ‘no person in Unites States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving financial assistance (p1681)’. The law also addresses peer-on-peer sexual harassment and considers it as a discrimination occurring in school premises and during school hours thus rendering it as a suitable cause of action against school authorities (DeSouza & Solberg, 2003). There have been several controversies and confusions with respect to legal definitions of perceptions of hostility and psychological harm that renders a SH case as