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Youth Challenge

Unit 4: Tackling Sexual Harassment in Your School

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Activity: Sexual harassment – true or false?

In this unit, you are asked to be an expert on your school culture – to explore the issue of sexual harassment at your school.

But first, let’s see what you know and think about sexual harassment. See how you go with the quiz below.

Your answers are private and confidential and do not need to be shared with anyone. Be prepared to answer honestly and say what you believe – not what others expect you to say.

#
Statement
True
False
1.
 Sexual harassment is really just a form of teasing.
2.
 Sending an SMS to a friend that spreads false stories about another person’s sex life is OK.
3.
 Sexual harassment is against the law.
4.
 If a person likes the sexual attention you give them, it is not sexual harassment.
5.
 If a student is being sexually harassed by an adult at school there is nothing that can be done about it.
6.
 If a student is being sexually harassed at school there needs to be a witness for it to be investigated.
7.
 Schools have a legal responsibility to deal with sexual harassment in the school.
8.
 If a person has accepted the sexual attentions of someone in the past, they cannot complain about sexual harassment by that person in the future.
9.
 A person can only complain about sexual harassment where a reasonable person would anticipate that the behavior would make someone feel humiliated.
10.
 Girls sometimes harass boys sexually.
11.
 Sexual harassment has to be between people of different sexes.
12.
 If a girl wears revealing clothing she cannot then complain about being sexually harassed.
13.
 Writing true comments about a person in a toilet cannot be sexual harassment.
14.
 If a person is only joking and does not intend to harm or distress another person it cannot be called sexual harassment.
15.
 Sexual harassment can make the person being harassed feel intimidated and humiliated.
16.
 Boys are sexually harassed as often as girls are.
17.
 Sexual harassment is a form of flattery.
18.
 It’s OK to ask a person for sex as long as you accept their answer.
19.
 Sexually explicit jokes can be sexual harassment.
20.
 Rude gestures are not sexual harassment, you have to actually touch or say something to another person.
21.
 Teachers can be sexually harassed by students.
22.
 Saying to someone ‘You’re a queer and I hope you get AIDS’ is a form of sexual harassment.
23.
 Sexual harassment is not really serious – it’s just a bit of fun.
24.
 Looks are OK, as long as you do not touch another person.
25.
 The best way of stopping sexual harassment is to ignore it and it will go away.

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© Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. Last Updated: 3 April, 2007
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