NCJ Number
237808
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 25 Issue: 3 Dated: March 2010 Pages: 443-456
Date Published
March 2010
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This study examined the extent and type of sexually harassing behavior or intimidations unmarried adolescent girls experienced in rural Bangladesh.
Abstract
This study examines the extent and type of sexually harassing behavior or intimidations unmarried adolescent girls experienced on their way to school, college or social visits and type of perpetrators in victims' view in rural Bangladesh using data of the 2004 National Nutrition Program baseline survey. The survey collected self-reported data on sexual harassments of 5,106 girls aged 13-19 years selected randomly. Results reveal that gendered harassments were experienced by 35 percent of the girls, unwanted sexual attentions by 34 percent, and sexual intimidations by 14 percent, yielding prevalence of sexual harassments of any type 43 percent. Higher girls' education and household economic status heightened their risks of being harassed. Perpetrators were male young spoilt bullies (64 percent), neighborhood youths (30 percent), students (22 percent) and hoodlums (6 percent). High prevalence of sexual harassments mirrors vulnerability of adolescent girls in the community and deserves to be tackled to achieve millennium development goals (MDGs) in gender equality in health and social development. (Published Abstract)