The Development of Perpetration and Tolerance of Sexual Harassment

The sexual harassment of girls and women is a common occurrence that begins in early adolescence and continues into adulthood. Not only is experiencing sexual harassment common, but it is also widely accepted and tolerated. In the current article, we use the bioecological theory of sexual harassment of girls to explain why this may be. Specifically, we discuss that the perpetration and tolerance of sexual harassment is built on a foundation of gendered socialization, media consumption, peer interactions, and permissive school environments that encourages passivity and objectification in girls and aggressiveness and dominance in boys. We outline how this process begins in infancy and continues throughout development, ultimately fostering an environment in which the sexual harassment of girls and women flourishes. Important implications for preventing sexual harassment are also discussed.