To perform the study, researchers interviewed 115 high school teenagers. They found that 37 percent of boys and 54 percent of girls had been sexually harassed at work at least once over the past two years.
The study defined “sexual harassment” as unwelcome sexual attention, sexually themed jokes and comments, sexual coercion and lewd comments or behavior.
It’s alarming enough that young people seem to be exposure to such conduct at work, but on top of that, the study also seemed to find that teenagers who were sexually harassed at work experienced less job satisfaction and made less job progress than did their peers who were not sexually harassed. To us, that seems to suggest sexual harassment in the workplace early on in one’s life might have negative and lasting implications for the future.
The study authors urged young workers to report any conduct at work that makes them feel uncomfortable, and we second that call. It is very important that we all stand up for ourselves and do not let unacceptable behavior continue.
Source: Business News Daily, “Teens More Likely to Face Sexual Harassment on the Job,” Chad Brooks, Dec. 26, 2012