University of Southern Maine

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Parents Beware:  Teens Entering U.S. Workforce Risk Exposure to Sexual Harassment on the Job

June 9, 2008

With summer almost here and high schools about to conclude the school year, many teens are looking for summer jobs.  But, parents beware.  University of Southern Maine Associate Professor of Social Work Susan Fineran’s research shows that summer and part-time jobs may not be safe for teens, many of whom encounter sexual harassment on the job.  
           
According to Fineran, 35 percent of some 300 high school students she surveyed said they were subjected to sexual harassment at work; more than 60 percent of the harassed respondents were teenage girls.  Fineran also has studied middle- and high-school sexual harassment, finding that about a third of the students in the study she recently co-authored were victimized by their classmates.

Fineran will soon be conducting further research into workplace sexual harassment of teens in Maine and hopes to expand her study to include all of New England.

Fineran can be reached for interviews during which she can give tips on how parents can help their teens avoid sexual harassment at work and school.  She can also tell parents what behaviors to look for in sexually harassed teens who may too embarrassed to report harassing behavior. 

For help arranging interviews, please contact Judie O’Malley or Bob Caswell at 207-780-4200. 

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