Gendered Harassment in Adolescence

The majority of youth experience some type of gendered harassment from their peers and these harassment experiences are related to a host of negative psychological, social, and academic outcomes. Much of this harassment occurs within schools; therefore, it is especially important to understand the role of schools and teachers in preventing and mitigating (or at times, exacerbating) youth’s experiences of gendered harassment. In this chapter, we will describe the prevalence and negative psychosocial outcomes associated with two common types of gendered harassment: sexual harassment (SH) and harassment on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression (SOGIE harassment). We will then discuss how schools may contribute to the prevalence of SH and SOGIE harassment, and how they can respond to and prevent SH and SOGIE harassment from occurring. We conclude by suggesting directions for future research and intervention work.