How A Girl Scout Took A Stand Against Sexual Harassment At Her School

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How A Girl Scout Took A Stand Against Sexual Harassment At Her School

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One 13-year-old girl, Natalie, demanded change in her school after being repeatedly sexual harassed with no action.

A boy in Natalie's class kept getting closer to her even after she continued to move away from him. After saying things to make her uncomfortable, he then touched her leg. That's when she immediately got up, left the classroom, and went straight to the office.

When Natalie, swung open the door to her school's administration office and said, "Someone is going to listen to me." Everyone turned their heads in shock.

"Everyone should know that sexual harassment is going on in our school, and something should be happening to stop it. If you do not know, then this is not being taken care of properly...everything I have reported is not being discussed with the staff, and it should be. Everyone should be aware because it is a real thing that is happening every single day."

Natalie told Refinery29 that her involvement with The Girl Scouts in Rhode Island, helped her speak up against the harassment. She said that Girl Scouts teaches the girls that harassment and sexist behavior is never their fault and there's no need to be nice or polite in the face of damaging behavior. Girl Scouts also provides parents with information on how to talk to their daughters about sexual harassment from a young age.

Before Natalie went to the office, she had continuously reported the treatment to her school's administration, without much response. She told other kids, and heard things like, "You should take that as a compliment" and "They're just saying you have a nice body." This didn't fly for Natalie.

"I didn't want to be sick to my stomach all day at school, then come home, slam my door, lay my back against it, and cry for not just myself, but for all the other kids who are being sexually harassed and won't say anything to anyone," said Natalie.

After Natalie's visit to the office, the school administration have begun to enforce change. They decided to bring in the school district psychologist to run a program called Flirting vs. Hurting. They also are enforcing mandatory guidance hours for the kids who were sexually harassing other students.

No one should have to deal with sexual harassment when they go to school, or any other time for that matter. This brave girl spoke her mind and created the beginning of great change.