Sexual Harassment on Children - Research Proposal Example

Comm 1312: Writing and Research Section Dr. Runna Alghazo ID: Major: Assignment Research Proposal Sexual Harassment on Children Introduction Sexual harassment comprises requests for sexual favors, unwelcome sexual advances, and other physical or verbal harassments of sexual nature (EEOC, n.d.). There are two types of sexual harassment. They include quid pro quo and creation of a hostile environment. The quid pro quo sexual harassment arises when the abuser, often in a position of authority, coerces the victim into submitting to any conduct of sexual nature as a way of influencing a critical academic or employment decision. In this case, if the victim fails to cooperate, the decision will go against them, often accompanied with severe consequences (University of Michigan, n.d.). Sexual harassment in the form of creation of a hostile environment arises when the abuser’s unwelcome sexual conduct creates an intimidating learning or working environment for the victim. In some cases, the abuser’s behavior can be so severe that it affects the victim’s ability to work or benefit from an educational program or activity. In this category of sexual harassment, the abuser does not always have some authority or any form of power over the victim. For instance, students can harass their peers. In the work situation, the abuser can be a low-ranked employee harassing their supervisor (University of Michigan, n.d.). Sexual harassment of children can occur in a social situation or on the internet. In most cases, the people harassing children sexually in a social setting are either family members or those who are known to the family (UNICEF, n.d.). In the online situation, sexual harassment occurs mostly in the form of unwanted sexual attention and gender harassment. The occurrence of unwanted sexual attention requires direct personal communication between the harasser and the victim (Mitchell, Wolak, & Finkelhor, 2008). The harasser sends offensive messages to the victims, which directly refer to sex. In most cases, the victims are asked about their sex life, intimate objects, sex organs, or other sex-related activities. In this category of harassment, the harasser’s intention is to solicit sexual cooperation from the victim (Barak, 2005; Schrock & Boyd, 2011). Since children do not always consider such messages offensive, they become sexually harassed without their knowledge. On the other hand, gender harassment involves communications in graphic or verbal formats targeting a specific gender. The abusers deliver such messages in active or passive manners. Active verbal sexual harassment occurs in the form of offensive sexual messages targeting specific victims. It includes sexual remarks, gender-humiliating comments, and dirty jokes. It occurs in chat rooms and private online communication channels such as emails. Conversely, the passive verbal sexual harassment does not target specific individuals. The harasser targets potential receivers (Barak, 2005). Research Questions The research proposal seeks to address four issues. First, it seeks to establish the prevalence of online sexual harassment among school children. Second, the research seeks to establish the reasons that prevent school children from reporting cases of sexual harassment they experience. Third, the research seeks to establish the ways in which children cope with the psychological effects of sexual harassment, given that they do not report the cases to parents or other family members. Lastly, the research proposal attempts to establish the frequency with which parents monitor their children’s online activities. Therefore, in summary, the research would attempt to answer the following questions. 1. How prevalent is online sexual harassment among school children? 2. Why do children fail to report cases of sexual harassment and what prevents them from doing so? 3. How do children who are sexually harassed cope with the psychological effects they experience? 4. Do parents monitor their children’s activities online? Research Thesis Because of the increasing use of internet among school children, the cases of sexual harassment could be much higher than previously thought. Importance of the Research Research on child sexual harassment is important because of three main reasons. First, it would create new ways of protecting children from sexual harassment. Typically, children do not reveal any form of sexual harassment perpetrated against them. In a situation where they report, they only tell their trusted friends, who in turn keep quiet about it. In the process, the information does not reach the parents, other caregivers, and law enforcement agents (Adamowski et al., 2006; UNICEF, 2012). However, by understanding the reasons that prevent children from disclosing the incidences of sexual harassment against them, it would be easy to formulate new strategies of encouraging them to report such cases. In doing so, the underreporting of sexual violence cases against children would be reduced significantly. Second, the research proposal would create awareness about some of the worst forms of sexual harassment that might be occurring without the knowledge of most people. Because most cases go unreported, there might be some forms of sexual harassment that exist, but the larger society may not be aware of them. By encouraging children to speak about most of the things they do online, it would be easy to identify some of the abuses that children encounter. Third, the study would help in formulating new ways of helping children to overcome the psychological challenges caused by sexual harassment. Since children experience sexual harassment without the knowledge of their caregivers, they suffer undue emotional challenges (Soo, Ainsaar, & Kalmus, 2012). However, if their fears of failing to report cases of sexual harassment are addressed, they can be helped to overcome their emotional challenges. Methodology The research would involve a random sample of school children aged 11–16 years. They would be required to fill confidential questionnaires about their encounters with other people including their peers particularly on the internet. Although the parents would not access their children’s responses, their consent is needed before their children can participate in the research. The research would involve data on five broad issues. First, it would measure the rate of children’s use of the internet. In this case, the participants would be grouped into three broad categories based on their frequency of using the internet. There would be the non-users, moderate users, and heavy internet users. For the case of moderate and heavy internet users, the respondents would be required to provide further information about the activities they do online. For instance, they would be asked about their participation on some risky activities such as giving strangers their personal information, looking for new friends online, and sending personal photos or videos to persons they meet online. Second, the research would analyze parental monitoring of children’s activities on the internet. In this case, the moderate and heavy internet users would be asked about the ways in which their parents monitor their internet activities. For instance, the participants would be asked whether their parents monitor the websites they visit, their profiles on social media, online friends, and messages sent or received via the internet. They would also be asked about the presence of their parents while they access the internet. Third, the survey would take data on the frequency of sending or receiving sexual messages on the internet. Here, participants would indicate whether they have received or sent other people messages with sexual content while they use the internet. In this case, two categories of participants are expected. They include those who have never received and those who have received or sent sexual messages within the past one year. For those who have sent or received messages with sexual content, the survey would collect data about how they reacted to the messages. In this case, two categories of participants are also expected. They include those who were not bothered and those who were disturbed by the messages. For those who were disturbed with the messages, the research would collect information about whether the participant reported the matter to anyone. Fourth, the survey would try to find out potential emotional difficulties that the respondents undergo after sexual harassment. In order to find out such difficulties, the survey would use Goodman’s Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Lastly, the respondents would be required to provide the strategies they use to cope with emotional difficulties. Although each respondent different would state various strategies, it is expected that the strategies would revolve around common issues. Basic Resources There are three basic resources that would be used in the proposed research. They include the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire, online survey platform, and data analyzing techniques. The SDQ would be a suitable way of gauging emotional difficulties experienced by children. The online survey platform would provide an alternative way that the respondents can use to protect their anonymity. Preliminary Questionnaire a). Time and activities on the internet 1. How many hours per week do you spend online? 2. What exactly do you do when you are online? 3. Do you use social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, etc. while online? 4. If yes, how many friends or followers do you have? 5. How many of those friends/followers have you met face-to-face? 6. Have you ever looked for friends online? 7. Do you share personal information such as name, address, and phone number with the people you meet online? b). Parental Monitoring 1. Do your parents check the websites you visit? 2. Do they tell you about the good or bad things about the internet? 3. Do they check the online profile you create about yourself on social media? 4. Do they ask you whether you know some of the persons who happen to be your online friends? 5. Do they check the messages you send or receive online? 6. Do they stay nearby while you are using the internet? 7. Do you share certain activities with them on the internet? c). Sending or Receiving Sexual Messages 1. Have you received or sent any messages containing sexual content in the last one year? 2. If yes, were you bothered with any of the messages? 3. If yes, did you tell anyone about it? 4. If yes, what are of the reasons that made you do so? 5. If no, why did you choose to keep quiet about it? d). Coping with Emotional Difficulties 1. Have you received any message from the persons you meet online asking you to do certain things that are of sexual nature? 2. What exactly did the person ask you to do? 3. Did you cooperate? 4. How did you react to the message(s)? 5. Did it affect you in any way? 6. Did you ask for help from anyone? 7. How did you solve the issue? Important Definitions Parent – refers to the caretaker of a child. Sexual harassment – unwanted sexual attention, requests for sexual favors, and other acts suggesting sexual conduct (Miller et al., 2013). Sexual message – refers to any written or verbal message with sexual content. It includes but not limited to text, graphic photos, and videos. Unwanted sexual attention – requests to engage in sexual activities including talk or giving unwanted personal sexual information to an adult (Kimberley, Wolak, & Finkelhor, 2007). References Adamowski, T., et al. (2006). Preventing child and youth sexual violence: a resource for Iowa families. Retrieved December 18, 2014 from http://www.icyd.org/Parents/files/PREVENTdocument.pdf Ainsaar, M. & Loof, L. (n.d.). Online behavior related to child sexual abuse. Retrieved December 18, 2014 from http://www.childcentre.info/robert/public/Online_behaviour_related_to_sexual_abuse.pdf Kimberley, J.M., Wolak, J., & Finkelhor, D. (2007). Trends in youth reports of sexual solicitations, harassment and unwanted exposure to pornography on the internet. Journal of Adolescent Health, 40, 116-126. Retrieved December 18, 2014 from http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/CV135.pdf Miller, S., Williams, J., Cutbush, S., Gibbs, D., Clinton-Sherrod, M., & Jones, S. (2013). Dating violence, bullying, and sexual harassment: longitudinal profiles and transitions over time. Journal of Youth Adolescence, 42, 607-618. Mitchell, J.K., Wolak, J., & Finkelhor, D. (2008). Are blogs putting youth at risk for online sexual solicitation or harassment? Child Abuse and Neglect, 32, 277-294. Retrieved December 19, 2014 from http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/CV149.pdf Soo, K., Ainsaar, M., & Kalmus, V. (2012). Behind the Curtains of e-state: determinants of online sexual harassment among Estonian children. Studies of Transition States and Societies. 4(2), 35-48. Retrieved December 18, 2014 from http://www.tlu.ee/stss/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/stss_nov_2012_soo1.pdf Schrock, A.R. & Boyd, D. (2011). Problematic youth interactions online: solicitation, harassment, and cyberbullying. Retrieved December 19, 2014 from http://www.danah.org/papers/2011/CMCPR-ProblematicYouthInteraction.pdf UNICEF. (n.d.). Break the silence: end child sex abuse. Retrieved December 18, 2014 from http://www.unicef.org/lac/Break_the_Silence--Introduction_.pdf UNICEF. (2012). Child maltreatment: prevalence, incidence and consequences in the East Asia and pacific region: a systematic review of research. Bangkok, UNICEF EAPRO. University of Michigan. (n.d.). What is sexual harassment? Retrieved December 18, 2014 from http://sapac.umich.edu/article/63 Read More