One survey by the Center for Children found that 40% of fifth- through eighth-graders say they have experienced sexual harassment by their peers. In another student survey, 81% admitted to being sexually harassed at school. The rate was about equal for boys and girls, with around half of the students admitting to sexually harassing someone else. Making matters worse and adding insult to injury, thirty-eight percent of youth said that teachers and other school employees sometimes participated in this harassment. (Garbarino & deLara, 2002, p. 99)

A more recent national survey of the 2010-2011 school year found that 48% of students in grades 7 to 12 experienced some form of sexual harassment that year, either in person or electronically. “It’s reached a level where it’s almost a normal part of the school day,” says Catherine Hill, one of the reports co-authors. (Crary, 2011)