Sexual harassment: Everyday violence in the lives of girls and women

Sexual harassment is one of the most insidious, yet pervasive, forms of vio lence that affects all girls, not merely those traditionally thought to be vulnerable or at risk. Although harassment in the workplace has been the fo cus of considerable attention during the last decade, there is a growing re cognition that girls experience varied forms of sexual harassment, and that this behavior begins at a surprisingly early age. This article examines th e plight of the "girl child" and presents findings from the first phase of a national action research project currently being conducted by the Canadia n Alliance of Five Research Centres on Violence. A major objective of this project is to examine how violence becomes "normalized" in the lives of gir ls and young women. Implications for nurses, including strategies aimed at encouraging resistance among this population, are addressed.