Sexual Harassment

School Library Journal

Gr 7 UpNash's focus is on harassment of youth by their peers and adults within school surroundings. Most references are to female victims; other vulnerable groups cited are special-education students, homosexuals, and those who do not fit conventional "Western" gender stereotypes. The author lists behaviors that have been treated as sexual harassment by the courts and analyzes the implications of the ruling that sexual discrimination is sexual harassment. She stresses that it may cause serious, even permanent, psychological and physical damage. Valuable suggestions for victims and guidelines for confronting such behavior are provided. The text is not terribly exciting, and it is unfortunate that the legal developments are not presented in a more coherent fashion. Also, the author's preaching on society's disempowerment of women is excessive to the point of imbalance. This title's positive aspects are its timeliness and presentation of statistics, the treatment of abuses of younger children, and the focus on the school setting. Black-and-white cartoons, photographs, and graphs don't add much to the text. Elaine Landau's Sexual Harassment (Walker, 1993) is more difficult to read and concentrates on workplace situations.Libby K. White, Schenectady County Public Library, NY