Juvenile Justice Information Exchange (https://jjie.org/tag/sexual-harassment/)
“These incidents could have had multiple victims or multiple perpetrators, which could result in more persons involved than the total number of incidents,” wrote researchers, who collect that data to meet mandates of the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act.
Most of the victims were boys, who, as a group, outnumber incarcerated girls, analysts found.
I recently read an Associated Press interview with singer and actress Mary J. Blige in which she shared her personal account of sexual harassment, beginning at age 5. “From age 5 to 17, I [went] through hell with sexual harassment … By the time I got to the music business, it was like, ‘Don't touch me or I'll kill you,’” she said.
It was a normal day at school when I asked a friend if he could tell my teacher that I would be late to class while I grabbed something from the library. “Oh, I’ll tell her you’re off having sex with all those guys.”
This was my friend. It was a disrespectful comment, but I brushed it off. He was known as a bit of a comedian, but I knew he considered me a nice girl. It wasn’t until I walked away that I heard another voice say, “Because it’s likely.”
We’re taught that sexual harassment is an often violent and deplorable act found in the workplace or on the street.