Monitor on Psychology - February 2012 - (Page 60)

A toxic environment Sexual harassment in the school Preventing sexual assault in college environment can lead to a constellation In April 2011, when vice President Joseph Biden and Secretary of ill effects for students, says Linda of education Arne Duncan announced the release of federal L. Collinsworth, PhD, an associate guidance on preventing sexual violence on college campuses, professor of psychology at Millikin they cited a prevention program designed by psychologist University in Decatur, Ill. In a 2008 victoria Banyard, PhD, and her colleagues at the University of study of 569 students from seven new Hampshire as a model for other colleges and universities Midwestern high schools that appeared across the country. in Psychology of Women Quarterly, Collinsworth and her colleagues found Banyard’s “Bringing in the Bystander” program teaches both that girls who had been upset by one men and women how to prevent sexual violence through an or more incidents of sexual harassment hourlong skill-building educational session that covers how to across a wide range of harassing intervene in scenarios that could culminate in sexual assault. behaviors reported signs of depression the effort includes a campus-based social marketing campaign and anxiety. to build community awareness. Both boys and girls who perceived on a college campus, that might mean noticing if someone their school as tolerating sexual who’s had too much to drink is being led away from the party harassment reported more symptoms by a fellow party-goer. In that case, steering the pair back to the of depression, Collinsworth says. party and making sure the woman’s friends are watching out “It’s like second-hand smoke,” for her could help prevent a possible assault, Banyard says. says Collinsworth. “If you’re in this In more extreme situations, concerned bystanders might environment where there’s this tolerance of sexual harassment, it has need to request assistance from a resident adviser or the this effect on you, even if you’re not campus police, she says. harassed.” “We’re trying to teach people safe tools that might make Lesbian, gay, bisexual and them more likely to step in and help out, in situations across questioning students are especially at the continuum of sexual violence,” Banyard says. risk for sexual harassment, according the program also teaches students how to support a friend to the survey of 522 middle school who reports being assaulted. It helps victims heal if they hear and high school students published “It’s not your fault” and “I believe you” instead of the blame by Gruber in 2008. He and cothey often receive from family and friends, Banyard says. author Susan Fineran, PhD, of the About one in three women and one in five men will have University of Southern Maine, found a friend tell them about an unwanted sexual experience, she that 71 percent of LGBQ students says. had experienced sexual harassment —C. MUNSEy in the last year, compared with 35 percent of students overall. “Maybe the real victims are LGBQ students,” Gruber says. “They not only report teaching students how to spot harassment and the steps for much higher levels of bullying and sexual harassment, but filing a complaint. Schools also need to encourage students the harm is significantly greater, both in terms of health to report sexual harassment to a trusted network of specially outcomes and school outcomes.” trained school officials, and stress that they will not face negative repercussions or retribution, Stein says. What can be done • Enforcing consequences for offenders and supporting Psychologists and other researchers who study sexual victims. Some school systems, such as the Austin Independent harassment in schools say that key steps to address it include: School District in Texas, allow students to file for a “stay away” • Educating educators. Teachers and school order that requires an offender to avoid contact with the victim administrators need more training on how to respond to on school grounds. And through a program called Expect sexual harassment and its negative consequences, says Nan Respect, victims of sexual harassment are offered individual Stein, EdD, a senior research scientist at the Wellesley Centers counseling and an invitation to a school-sponsored support for Women. group. n • Teaching students. Educators should add class modules 60 M o n i t o r o n p s y c h o l o g y • F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 2

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Monitor on Psychology - February 2012

Monitor on Psychology - February 2012
Letters
President’s column
Contents
From the CEO
APA files two briefs in support of same-sex couples
New registry seeks to understand addiction recovery through ‘crowdsourcing’
APA launches a database of tests and measures
Watch for new member benefit: “APA Access”
Apply now for APA’s Advanced Training Institutes
PsycTHERAPY, APA’s new database, brings therapy demos to life
In Brief
APA scientists help guide tobacco regulation
A-mazing research
‘A machine for jumping to conclusions’
Judicial Notebook
Random Sample
Righting the imbalance
The beginnings of mental illness
Science Directions
Improving disorder classification, worldwide
Protesting proposed changes to the DSM
Interventions for at-risk students
Harnessing the wisdom of the ages
Anti-bullying efforts ramp up
Hostile hallways
R U friends 4 real?
Support for teachers
Speaking of Education
Record keeping for practitioners
Going green
At the intersection of law and psychology
Division Spotlight
Grants help solve society’s problems
Personalities

Monitor on Psychology - February 2012

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