TEENAGE PEER SEXUAL HARASSMENT - IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL-WORK-PRACTICE IN EDUCATION

Peer sexual harassment is an often overlooked problem for both girls a nd boys in the educational environment. This article provides a histor ical framework for defining peer sexual harassment as a sex discrimina tion issue and a description of peer sexual harassment as a potential mental health issue. The article also reviews the limited empirical re search on teenage peer sexual harassment, which has consistently revea led that nearly four of five adolescents are the targets of sexual har assment by their peers. Finally, the authors explore a theoretical con text in which to understand sexual harassment and the implications for social work practice in education.