Construct a Community Outreach Project

¶ … Fighting Sexual Harassment of Women in my Californian Hometown." Sexual harassment is unwelcome behavior directed at the opposite sex that is deliberate or repeated, not asked for or returned and which affects the terms and conditions of employment (Sexual Harassment Policy, p. 2). Courts and employers generally use the definition of sexual harassment contained in the guidelines of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). This language has also formed the basis for most state laws prohibiting sexual harassment.

The guidelines state (see the Free Dictionary "Sexual Harassment"): Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when: 1. submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment; 2. submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individuals; or 3.

such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment. (29 C.F.R. § 1604.11 [1980]). Why it is important for the community: It seems that not enough is done in fighting sexual harassment against girls' and young women in the school-system of my home town in Lesbian, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equal Rights (LGBT) in my small home town in California.

Although California has adopted anti-bullying legislation, LGBT youth and especially women are still subject to sexual harassment and intimidation. A 16-year-old girl committed suicide in my Californian hometown last year due to anti-lesbian bullying and sexual harassment. While there seem to be a lot of efforts made to protect female and male adults against sexual harassment at the workplace both on the Federal and State level, our local politicians seem to neglect combating sexual harassment of young women at school.

Sexual harassment of women at school can take any or all of the following three forms (see Sexual Harassment Policy, pp. 2f.): 1. Verbal Harassment: Epithets, derogatory jokes or comments, slurs or unwanted sexual talk. It also includes verbal abuse of a sexual nature such as graphic verbal commentaries about a person's body, sexually degrading words used to describe an individual, propositioning, suggestive or sexually graphic letters, notes and invitations. 2. Physical Harassment: Assault, battery, impeding or blocking normal movement or interfering with school, and unwanted touching such as, pinching, grabbing, patting. 3.

Visual Harassment: Derogatory posters, notices, cards, calendars, bulletins, cartoons, graffiti, photographs, signs, drawings, protracted staring or gestures. The three forms of sexual harassment, described above, can be exhibited as one of two types of sexual harassment: Quid Pro Quo Harassment or Environmental Harassment (see Sexual Harassment Policy, p. 4): 1.

Quid Pro Quo Harassment: Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for favors, and other verbal, physical or visual conduct of a sexual nature when: a) Submission to such conduct is made a term or condition of a person's school career, b) Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as a basis for school decisions affecting such person. 2.

Hostile School Environment: Any of the forms of unwelcome behaviors of a sexual nature that are severe or pervasive enough that it either alters a condition of a school environment creates a hostile or abusive environment. Propose a solution: I am a member of Equal Rights Advocates (ERA) and I would showcase ERA's work to defend girls' and young women's rights from what seem like increasing attacks on equity in schools in newspaper articles and meetings.

I would try to raise public awareness of the need to implement protections for female pupils and students against bullying and harassment based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, disability, and religion. Tell why you think the solution will work: In a time of financial crisis, support is needed more than ever because women and girls need ERA more than ever. The downturn in the economy disproportionately affects low-income workers and their families --.