Teen Sexual Harassment at Work
PBS NOW Reports Risk of Sexual Abuse on the Job for Teen Girls
Feb 25, 2009
Part time jobs can offer great opportunities for teens to earn money, learn responsibility and gain work experience. But a February 20, 2009 PBS NOW broadcast, "Teen Sexual Harassment at Work", highlights the risks of sexual abuse and sexual harassment at work for teen girls. Statistics reveal that teen girls are more likely to be harassed sexually at their part time jobs than on the internet.
How Common is Sexual Harassment on the Job for Teen Girls?
The issue of teen sexual harassment at work has not been highly publicized. The media and apparently, even parents have not been aware of the prevalence of sexual harassment and sexual abuse on the job for teens. It seems that often teen girls aren’t reporting incidents involving sexual harassment and sexual assault.
“Is Your Daughter Safe at Work?”, an article published in the June 2007 print issue of Good Housekeeping, tells the experience of several teen girls who were sexually harassed while working at places such as movie theaters, fast food restaurants and clothing retailers. E. J. Graff, Senior Researcher for The Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism and author of the article estimates that over two hundred thousand teens are sexually harassed, even assaulted, at work each year.
PBS NOW Broadcasts “Teen Sexual Harassment at Work” Investigation
Following the 2007, Good Housekeeping article, The Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism collaborated with PBS NOW to produce a first time broadcast investigation about Teen Sexual Harassment at Work, which aired on Friday, February 20, 2009.
In the PBS NOW broadcast, teen girls share their eye opening stories of sexual harassment on the job as well as legal actions involved with Senior Correspondent, Maria Hinojosa. The broadcast investigation also informs viewers of the prevalence of sexual harassment of teen girls at work and the circumstances that increase the risk of sexual abuse and harassment for teens. A twenty minute preview video of the broadcast, Teen Sexual Harassment at Work can be viewed on the PBS NOW website
Why Teen Sexual Harassment on the Job is Under Reported
Teen sexual harassment at work is seldom reported for several reasons. Teens are often reluctant because they may be embarrassed by the sexual harassment and are afraid of losing their jobs. Also because teens are new to the adult workplace, many teenagers aren’t aware of their legal rights and what behavior constitutes sexual harassment on the job. Many teen girls begin working at a part time job with little knowledge about worker’s rights.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has created “Youth at Work”, a program conducted at the high school level to teach teens about their legal rights on the job. As well, “Youth at Work” maintains a website targeted at teens and young adults. The website is written by young people to inform young people about their rights at work.
Suggestions for Parents of Teen Girls Working at a Part Time Job
What can parents do to prevent their teen girls from experiencing sexual harassment at work and how can parents help teen girls report sexual misconduct on the job? E. J. Graff offers a list of suggestions for parents, strategies parents can use to support teens in warding off or dealing with sexual harassment on the job. Suggested strategies include dropping by a teen girl’s work location, meeting a teen’s manager and talking to a daughter about the difference between flirting on the job and sexual harassment.
References:
The Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism website
Good Housekeeping Magazine
PBS NOW website
Youth at Work website
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