Prevention of Sex-Based Harassment in K–12 Schools

Abstract

Student sex-based harassment has a negative impact on individual students and on the school environment. This review of the literature describes the evolution of sex-based harassment from elementary through high school, clarifies the relationship between bullying and sex-based harassment, and summarizes the research-based system and individual factors that support the development of such harassment in schools. Based on the research, we recommend the adoption of a comprehensive planning process for prevention that addresses the factors that reinforce student sex-based harassment and supports the school’s bullying prevention efforts. School counselors can advocate for and play a leadership role in both developing and implementing a school-wide plan that includes needs assessment and evaluation. We offer suggestions for system-wide and individual interventions for school personnel and Tier 1–3 prevention and problem-solving interventions for students to support a healthy school environment free of sex-based harassment.

Exploring the Relationships Among Bias-Based Bullying, Fear, and School Avoidance in a National Sample of U.S. Adolescents: The Role of School Counselors

“…The ASCA Ethical Standards (ASCA, 2022b) note that school counselors “actively respond to incidents of bias or hate, demonstrating a commitment to equity and promoting a safe, inclusive school community” (p. 5). The importance of the school counselor’s role in preventing and intervening in bullying (Ellington et al, 2023; Swank et al, 2019) and bias incidents (Cunningham & Sowell, 2021) is well documented in the existing literature. However, scholars have paid relatively less attention to school counselors’ role in addressing bias-based bullying.…”