Reporting and Underreporting of Sex Harassment in United States Public Schools: A Mixed Methods Analysis

Using mixed methods, I assess the factors that contribute to the underreporting of sex harassment in elementary and secondary educational environments. I first use regional Title IX data to assess the impacts of Title IX resource access on several indicator variables, finding a positive impact on allegations and discipline cases when a harassment/bullying policy was made available online. Next, I seek to identify other factors that contribute to reporting or underreporting. To that end, I conduct organizational analysis and informational interviews. From the organizational analysis, I identify factors that contribute to the normalization and underreporting of sex harassment and strategies of resistance. In case study interviews, I delve further into Title IX awareness and the impacts of factors that contribute to underreporting on these individuals. I find that only one of thirteen student interview participants had a true understanding of Title IX’s protections. Interviewees also mentioned that organizational factors such as normalization, stigma, victim blaming, and ambiguity had disincentivized reporting of sex harassment during their public secondary school experience. I identify several factors that actively contribute to low levels of sex harassment reporting, with particular attention to a lack of knowledge on the part of students.