Abstract
PurposeAmong a sample of adolescent girls, we assessed: 1) prevalence of sexual harassment by type, place of occurrence, and perpetrators; 2) association with substance use and poor mental health outcomes; and 3) the proportion of girls experiencing sexual harassment in more than one place and relation to study outcomes.MethodsWe collected survey data from 159 sexually active girls (aged 15–19 years) recruited from an urban health clinic in Southern California. We used multivariable regression models to assess associations between sexual harassment in the past 6 months and the following outcomes: 1) substance use in past 30 days (alcohol use, binge drinking, and marijuana use, respectively); 2) other drug use ever; and 3) feelings of depression and anxiety, respectively, in past 30 days.ResultsAlmost two-thirds of girls (65.4%) reported experiencing sexual harassment in the past 6 months. Among those reporting recent harassment (n = 104), the abuse most frequently occurred in public spaces (on public transport [50.5%], at school [42.7%], and in their neighborhoods [39.8%]) and most often in the form of sexual comments, jokes, or gestures (57.2%), although 12.6% were “touched, grabbed, or pinched in a sexual way.” The vast majority (82.7%) did not know the perpetrators (82.7%). Experiences of sexual harassment in the past 6 months were significantly associated with alcohol use (odds ratio [OR], 4.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.0–10.2), binge drinking (OR, 4.2; 95% CI, 1.8–9.8), and marijuana use (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.2–5.7) in the past 30 days; other drug use ever (OR, 5.4; 95% CI, 1.8–16.4); and feelings of depression (OR: 2.7; 95%CI: 1.3–5.5) and anxiety (OR: 2.6; 95%CI: 1.2–5.5) in the past 30 days. Just over half (55.3%) reported sexual harassment in more than one place, which was also associated with poor substance use and mental health outcomes.ConclusionsFindings suggest that sexual harassment experiences are pervasive, occur in girls' immediate and everyday environments, and are associated with girls’ substance use and adverse mental health outcomes.
Highlights
Sexual harassment, defined as unwanted and unwelcome behavior of a sexual nature, is a form of sexual violence that is extremely prevalent among youth (Chiodo, Wolfe, Crooks, Hughes, & Jaffe, 2009; Clear et al, 2014; Hill & Kearl, 2011)
This study aims to address the current gaps in the literature by 1) assessing experiences of sexual harassment among adolescent girls by type, place, and perpetrator; 2) assessing girls’ experi ences of sexual harassment in relation to substance use and poor mental health outcomes; and 3) assessing the proportion of girls reporting ex periences of sexual harassment in more than one context and relation to substance use and mental health outcomes
There were no statistically significant differences in experiencing sexual harassment by demographic variables. Among those who experienced any sexual harassment, Latina adolescents appeared less likely to report experiencing sexual harassment in more than one location (44.6%) than non-Latinas (82.8%) (X2 12.3; P 1⁄4 .0005). Among those experiencing sexual harassment, those born in the United States (62.0%) were more likely to report sexual harassment in more than one place than those not born in the United States (33.3%) (X2 1⁄4 6.5; P 1⁄4 0.01)
Summary
Sexual harassment, defined as unwanted and unwelcome behavior of a sexual nature, is a form of sexual violence that is extremely prevalent among youth (Chiodo, Wolfe, Crooks, Hughes, & Jaffe, 2009; Clear et al, 2014; Hill & Kearl, 2011). Young women and girls in particular are more likely to experience sexual harassment than their male counter parts (Fairchild & Rudman, 2008; Mitchell, Ybarra, & Korchmaros, 2014; Turner, Finkelhor, Hamby, Shattuck, & Ormrod, 2011). A large nationally conducted study among students in grades 7 through 12 examining the prevalence of sexual harassment experienced within the past year found that more than half (52%) of girls reported being sexually harassed, compared with 35% of their male peers (Hill & Kearl, 2011). Previous studies found that high levels of community violence are associated with partner and sexual victimization of women and girls (Reed et al, 2011). More research is needed to assess the preva lence of sexual harassment among adolescent girls residing in such communities where multiple forms of violence are occurring in high proportions
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