2008 Woodie Awards
You're not alone: A student shares her story
Victims of sexual harassment speak up and encourage other women to do the same
Lynette Cornell
Issue date: 11/16/06 Section: Lifestyle
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Sexual harassment is not a topic you're likely to bring up in casual conversation. If you even mention the phrase to a typical crowd, you'll likely be met with silence, jokes or a quick transition to another subject.
It's a touchy, gray-area and taboo topic that people do not feel comfortable discussing.
The U.S. Department of Education's Web site defines sexual harassment as "unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature ... [which] can include unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature."
The Ontario Women's Justice Network reports victims of sexual harassment may experience a wide range of physical, emotional and psychological effects, both immediate and long-term. They include headaches, nausea, anxiety, anger, shame, and inability to trust others.
Despite the toll sexual harassment takes on its victims, many instances go unreported every year.
A survey conducted by Harris Interactive Inc. revealed, "Nearly two-thirds of college students experience sexual harassment at some point during college, including nearly one-third of first-year students."
With Emerson's average population around 3,000 full-time undergraduates, that would mean that about 2,000 students are sexually harassed during their four year enrollment.
However, I never expected to experience sexual harassment myself for one obvious reason-I thought only gorgeous women who dressed provocatively were the targets of suggestive and derogatory comments and pressure for sex. I am an average-looking girl who dresses mostly in modest T-shirts and jeans.
When my newly acquired friend Ben (name changed for privacy) started making comments about how hot he thought I looked, I was more than a little taken aback. I shrugged it off. Ben was a nice guy and we enjoyed talking about religion and politics. We were becoming friends, but I couldn't help noticing how he brought up sex in almost every conversation.
It's a touchy, gray-area and taboo topic that people do not feel comfortable discussing.
The U.S. Department of Education's Web site defines sexual harassment as "unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature ... [which] can include unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature."
The Ontario Women's Justice Network reports victims of sexual harassment may experience a wide range of physical, emotional and psychological effects, both immediate and long-term. They include headaches, nausea, anxiety, anger, shame, and inability to trust others.
Despite the toll sexual harassment takes on its victims, many instances go unreported every year.
A survey conducted by Harris Interactive Inc. revealed, "Nearly two-thirds of college students experience sexual harassment at some point during college, including nearly one-third of first-year students."
With Emerson's average population around 3,000 full-time undergraduates, that would mean that about 2,000 students are sexually harassed during their four year enrollment.
However, I never expected to experience sexual harassment myself for one obvious reason-I thought only gorgeous women who dressed provocatively were the targets of suggestive and derogatory comments and pressure for sex. I am an average-looking girl who dresses mostly in modest T-shirts and jeans.
When my newly acquired friend Ben (name changed for privacy) started making comments about how hot he thought I looked, I was more than a little taken aback. I shrugged it off. Ben was a nice guy and we enjoyed talking about religion and politics. We were becoming friends, but I couldn't help noticing how he brought up sex in almost every conversation.
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