Sexual Harassment in the News

Harvey Weinstein, a decades-long powerful producer in the movie industry, was accused in 2017 of sexual harassment by more than thirty women—including famous actresses such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Beckinsale, Ashley Judd, Rose McGowan and Angelina Jolie, among others. Weinstein was fired by the Weinstein Company, the company he co-founded, and he was voted out of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Over the next several years, Weinstein was indicted and convicted on multiple occasions in New York and Los Angeles for sexual offenses, including rape and sexual assault—and is now serving several prison sentences. 

During that time, Harvey Weinstein was not the only first famous person accused of sexual harassment. That list includes Bill Cosby, comedian, actor, and author; Roger Ailes, previous FOX News Chairman and others. They were accused by numerous women of sexual misconduct and have had resulting professional, financial and reputational setbacks. This issue has continued to remain in the news and there have been additional celebrities and others accused or convicted of sexual misconduct since then.

Federal laws forbid sexual harassment. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission describes sexual harassment as follows:

• It is unlawful to harass a person (an applicant or employee) because of that person’s sex. Harassment can include “sexual harassment” or unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature. 

• Harassment does not have to be of a sexual nature, however, and can include offensive remarks about a person’s sex. For example, it is illegal to harass a woman by making offensive comments about women in general.

• Both victim and the harasser can be either a woman or a man, and the victim and harasser can be the same sex.

• Although the law doesn't prohibit simple teasing, offhand comments, or isolated incidents that are not very serious, harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in an adverse employment decision (such as the victim being fired or demoted).

• The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or someone who is not an employee of the employer, such as a client or customer. 

Since that time, there have been various surveys about the state of sexual harassment and assault in the U.S. According to a 2024 study of adults over the age of 18 by the Newcomb Institute at Tulane University, most women (82%) and nearly half of all men (42%) reported experiencing sexual harassment or assault in their lifetime. Non-binary/gender non-conforming (79%) and transgender (87%) individuals reported very high rates. They also found that most victims did not share what happened with anyone. These incidents began at a young age for many, with more than half of women (56%) and 18% of men first experiencing sexual harassment or assault before age 18. One in five women (20%) first experienced sexual harassment or assault before the age of 13. 

There are many potential negative impacts on survivors of sexual harassment. According to RAINN, they include include emotional (e.g., anger, fear, shame, guilt, betrayal, humiliation), mental health (e.g., anxiety, depression, panic attacks, PTSD, substance abuse) and physical (e.g., increased stress levels, fatigue, headaches, sleep disturbances, eating disturbances) harmful outcomes. 

Age

12 and up 

Questions to Start the Conversation

• Have you heard about Harvey Weinstein and #MeToo before? What have you heard about what happened in 2017 and #MeToo? 

• How did you feel when you heard about it?

• What other examples of sexual harassment or sexual assault have you heard about in the news?

• Why do you think so many people are now sharing their sexual harassment stories and experiences?

• How can others stand up for those who have experienced sexual harassment and assault? 

Questions to Dig Deeper

(See the Additional Resources section for articles and information that address these questions.) 

• Why do you think so many victims of sexual harassment and assault are afraid to report their experiences?

• Is reporting easier or more difficult based on a person’s race, socioeconomic status, religion, gender identity or sexual orientation?  Why do you think that is? 

• How can we create a culture where people feel more comfortable to report?

• How can we as individuals and as a society address sexual harassment and assault? 

Ideas for Taking Action

Ask: What can we do to help?  What individual and group actions can help make a difference?  

• Educate others about this topic by sharing information on social media, having individual conversations with other students, or organizing an educational forum at school.

• Learn more about your school’s harassment policies and what is done when sexual harassment is reported. If you feel more can be done to educate other students, find out if there are ways you can get involved. 

• Write a letter to your school or community newspaper or a blog that conveys your thoughts and feelings about the current situation and sexual harassment in general. Be sure to include resources for those who need help—you never know who you might reach.