This is a recording of a Michigan State University Extension webinar that originally aired on November 19, 2014.  

Sexual harassment and gender violence in schools and other youth settings are often hidden by the use of other terms. “Bullying,” a popular and more comfortable term, is frequently used to describe these sexually harassing, sexually violent incidents. Within formal and non-formal educational settings, adults often use the term “bullying” – whether innocently or as shorthand – to describe sexual harassment and gender violence behaviors that are prohibited under either civil or criminal law. Doing so obscures the serious nature of these incidents, deflects the organization’s responsibility and potential liability, and moves us away from the discourse of rights that schools and other youth organizations must provide to all young people. This webinar explores these issues, along with Federal Civil Rights law Title IX, which requires that schools and other educational programs that receive federal funding provide environments free from sex discrimination and sexual harassment. It explores ways to create environments that are safe and equitable for all youth. The webinar featured Nan Stein, Ed.D., who has conducted research on sexual harassment and teen dating violence for more than 30 years. As a former middle school teacher, drug and alcohol counselor, and gender equity specialist, Nan has collaborated with teachers’ unions and sexual assault/domestic violence agencies throughout the U.S. She has authored many book chapters, law review articles and academic journal articles – as well as commentaries for the mainstream media and the educational press. Nan often serves as an expert witness in Title IX/sex discrimination-sexual harassment lawsuits heard in U.S. Federal courts. In 1992, Nan joined the Center for Research on Women at Wellesley College (the largest and oldest women’s research center in the U.S.) as a senior research scientist.

This webinar was developed as part of Be SAFE: Safe, Affirming and Fair Environments, a Michigan State University Extension initiative designed to help communities learn about and address issues of bullying, bias and harassment in the lives of young people. Be SAFE taps the wisdom and resiliency of young people and invites youth and adults to work in partnership to create relationships and settings that are physically and emotionally safe. Be SAFE includes a comprehensive curriculum, which is designed for use within out-of-school time settings as well as middle school settings and which includes more than 30 engaging and experiential activities designed for group learning.