"#MeToo Goes To School" - Lauren Camera
Nearly half of students in grades seven to 12 - and more than half of girls overall at that level - reported experiencing some form of sexual harassment in the 2010-2011 school year, according to research from the American Association of University Women. This is not an issue that's only regulated to college campuses or other workplaces. It's something that's happening early in our students' lives, and there is a real imperative for us to do something about it. The problem, however, is masked by rampant underreporting - by students themselves and by schools and school districts - which results in the public often overlooking the epidemic entirely at the K-12 level. Linda E. Olszewski, PsyD, assistant professor of pediatrics, adolescent medicine, and psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, said only about nine percent of sexually abused teenagers ask for help, and it's usually not from a teacher or other adult. "What we see here are the kids who are actually asking for help," she said of the cases she and her team handle, which include many instances of social media harassment. "We see the brave kids and those asking for the helping hand," she added. She said she is starting to see an uptick in students seeking help, and that campaigns like #MeTooK12 are helping shine a light on the issue.
- Linda E. Olszewski, PsyD, Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, Adolescent Medicine, Psychiatry, Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai