My research into peer-to-peer sexual harassment in K-12 schools began in 1979 while I worked at the Massachusetts Department of Education (1978-1992). With my colleagues there and with teachers and counselors from around the state, we published the first curriculum on the subject, Who's Hurt and Who's Liable: Sexual Harassment in Massachusetts Schools (Stein, editor: 1979, 1982, 1983, & 1986) and conducted the first state-wide survey of high school students about their experiences with sexual harassment (Stein, 1981). Since 1992 when I joined the Center for Research on Women at Wellesley College as a senior research scientist, I have spent considerable time tracking peer-to-peer sexual harassment complaints and lawsuits in elementary and secondary schools, and working with school personnel and teachers' unions to find ways to prevent sexual harassment through classroom lessons, professional development and when necessary, through litigation.
