This research was funded by generous contributions to the AAUW Educational Foundation Eleanor Roosevelt Fund

AAUW of Oregon also provided significant funds to support this research as part of the

AAUW Building a Harassment-Free Campus initiative.January, 2006

Drawing the Line: Sexual Harassment on CampusA report of the AAUW Educational Foundation

For more than a hundred years, AAUW has prospered by focusing on this simple message — educating girls and women helps individuals, their families, and society.

Increasingly, a college education is essential for a woman’s economic security and independence.

Background

Background

AAUW has been at the forefront of

research on sexual harassment for more

than a decade.

AAUW is committed to promoting a

campus climate that is free from

gender bias and sexual harassment

to ensure that all students have an

equal opportunity to excel.

Research Methodology

Drawing the Line: Sexual Harassment on Campus is based on a nationally

representative online survey of 2,036 undergraduate college students, female and male, ages 18 to 24, conducted in May 2005.

The survey was conducted by Harris

Interactive, one of the leading publicopinion companies in the country.

For the survey, sexual harassment was

defined as “unwanted and unwelcome

sexual behavior that interferes with your life. Sexual harassment is not behaviors that you like or want.”

Student respondents were asked to consider these behaviors only in the context of their college lives, e.g., in class, on campus, or at campus-related events.

Research Methodology

Nearly Two-Thirds of College Students Say They Have Been Sexually Harassed on Campus

Research Findings

Sexual Harassment Happens All Over Campus

39% of harassed student say they are harassed

in dorms or student housing

37% say they are harassed outside on

campus grounds

24% say they are harassed in common areas

of campus buildings

20% say they are harassed in classrooms or

lecture halls

Research Findings

Sexual Harassment Happens at All Types of Colleges and Universities

Research Findings

Sexual Harassment Takes a Heavy Toll on Female Students

Research Findings

Harassers Tend to Think Their Behaviors Are Funny

Research Findings

Many Students Tell No One

Research Findings

Research Findings

79% of college students say their school has a sexual harassment policy in place

60% say that booklets, brochures and other written materials are available on campus

57% say that they would like their school to offer a web-based confidential method for submitting complaints about harassment

Policies and Brochures Are Common, But Not Enough

UCF Survey Sample Characteristics

40%

54%

26%

58%

18%

82%

46%

69%

All Other Races andEthnicities

Non-Hispanic Whites

Male Respondents

Female Respondents

UCF

AAUWNationalSurvey

UCF Campus Climate

21%

4.4%

44%

65%

17%

47%

1.5%

3.6%

46%

57%

2.4%

54%

A lot of Sexual Harassment

Some but not a lot of SexualHarassment

UCF is Hostil

UCF is Unsafe

UCF is Exciting

UCF is Welcoming

Male

Female

Among female respondents 21% worry about SEXUAL HARASSMENT ‘occasionally’ and 4.9% ‘a lot’ which is 10 times greater than male respondents who worry about sexual harassment occasionally (2.9%) and ‘a lot’ (0.49%)

Perceived Sexual Harassment

• 25% of female students and 36% of

male students said there was no

sexual harassment on campus

• 53% of female students and 47%

of male students indicated there

was some but not a lot of sexual harassment on campus

• 21% of females and 17% of males

indicated there was ‘a lot’

Experienced Sexual Harassment at UCF

• 67 % of respondents knew a friend

who experienced sexual harassment

• 60% of respondents were the targets

of sexual harassment

• 60% was non-physical and 34 %

physical harassment

Frequent Types of Non-contactSexual Harassment

• The most frequent type were jokes, comments, gestures and looks experienced

by 60% of females and 47% of males• Being called ‘gay’. ‘lesbian’ or

a homophobic name was reported by 32%

of males and 12% of females • A quarter of both males and females report

being ‘mooned’ or ‘flashed’

Frequent Types of ContactSexual Harassment

• 29% of females report being touched or grabbed and or brushed against in a sexual way and experience ALL FORMS

of unwanted contact more frequently than males

• 21% of males report being brushed against in a sexual way

Sexual Harassment is Upsetting and Disruptive

• 90% or more of female students

indicated that they would be ‘very

upset’ experiencing any type of sexual harassment

• Male students varied in frequency

of this response from 64% for being touched to 90% for forced sexual

activity

Sexual Harassment is Upsetting and Disruptive

• 64% of females and 30% of males

go out of their way to avoid a harasser

• One-fourth or more of women who

who have been targets of harassment report trouble sleeping, loss of

appetite, performing poorly in class, find it hard to study and ask someone

to protect them

What Do You Do If You are Harassed

• 91% of females and 76% of males would report sexual harassment

• Females knew more campus resources than males and almost 90% cited Victim Services

• Most frequent contacts were with the police, Victim Services and Student Counseling and Student Health

• Only 25% of females and 9% of males would tell a friend

Building a Harassment-Free campus

• Provide a confidential website to report incidents

• More innovative education-(e.g., plays)

• More high profile speakers

• More information for new students

• Focus on certain campus groups

• Let students know there are consequences

According to students, sexual harassment is “part of college life” and is “just the way it is.”

Most students do not talk openly or

seriously about sexual harassment.

Yet many – particularly young women – are upset, angry, afraid, or disappointed in their college experience as a result.

Conclusions

College students are shaping lifelong

behaviors and attitudes that they will take

with them into the work force and broader

society.

It is time for a candid and serious dialogue

about campus sexual harassment – by

students, faculty, parents, administrators, and

the collective higher education community.

Conclusions

AAUW has launched a new initiative,

Building a Harassment Free Campus, to

combat campus sexual harassment.

Action projects are underway on eleven

campuses around the country.

A summit on sexual harassment is

scheduled for June 7-10, 2006

Taking Action

Learn more about Drawing the Line and

what you can do to address sexual

harassment on college campuses at

www.aauw.org/dtl.

Dr. Leslie Sue Lieberman, Director

Women’s Research Center, UCF

407-823-5142 llieberm@mail.ucf.edu

www.cas.ucf.edu/womensresesrch/

Contacts