SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
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Debunking the Stigma:
Sexual Harassment through Social Media in
Philippine Science High School - Main Campus
Patricia Carmela V. Caronan
Grade 11 - Block F
Philippine Science High School - Main Campus
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
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Abstract
Sexual harassment remains to be a controversial issue that society fails to eliminate
despite its presence throughout history. Technological advancements and the use of social
media platforms have allowed the rate of the occurrence of such harassment to increase,
especially in adolescents. ​Given the presented circumstances, this case study aims to
discover the state of sexual harassment through social media among adolescents,
specifically among the students of Philippine Science High School - Main Campus
(PSHS-MC). It particularly seeks to determine how social media platforms are utilized in
the propagation of sexual harassment. Execution of the study involved interviews
conducted in order to gather data, which was then carefully analyzed. It was found that the
lack of conversation regarding the virtual sexual harassment is the leading cause for its
propagation for a long period of time. The technological aspect of the problem also adds to
the difficulty in addressing such immoral incidents. Factors for victimization were also
explored wherein it was concluded that victimization relies heavily on the perception of a
harasser rather than the behavior and background of the victims. The study was also able
to explore the various effects, negative and positive, of such an incident to the well-being
of those victimized.
It was also concluded that the currently existing policies and
programs that tackle this type of harassment present in the school were deemed to be a
progressive step, but still require several areas of improvement to be addressed. Future
research should focus on the ​point of view and effects of such events on harassers, both
adolescents and adults, as well study more on ​the ​effectivity of such school policies or
programs in terminating the problem.
Keywords: ​sexual harassment, social media, adolescents, victims, school policies
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Table of Contents
I.
Abstract
2
Table of Contents
3
III.
List of Figures
7
IV.
Introduction
8
II.
a. Essence of Sexual Harassment
8
b. The influence of social media
10
c. Correlation of adolescence and sexual harassment
11
d. The State of Sexual Harassment in the Philippines
12
e. Sexual Harassment in Philippine Science
High School - Main Campus
V.
VI.
13
Method
a. Methodology
15
b. Research questions
15
c. Methods
15
1. Survey
1​5
2. Interviews
17
Results
1​9
a. Contributors to the perpetuation of sexual harassment
1​9
1. The lack of conversation regarding the issue
1​9
2. The internet and features of social media sites.
20
3. Technology and differences in generations
20
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
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b. Traits that induce victimization
1. Friendship as a factor
21
2. Establishment of power as a contributor
21
c. Effects on ​the incident on the well-being of victims
22
1. Psychosocial effects
22
2. Effects on mental state
22
3. Presence of secondary victims
22
4. Positive outcomes
23
d. On the state of the problem in PSHS-MC.
VII.
20
2​3
1. Student perspective
24
2. Trends in the act
29
3. Processing of the case
2​9
4. Feedback on the actions taken
20
5. Programs that tackle sexual harassment in the school
31
Discussion
3​2
a. Interpretation and explanation of results
32
1. Contributors to the perpetuation of sexual harassment
35
2. Traits that induce victimization
36
3. Effects of the incident on the well-being of victims
38
4. On the state of the problem in PSHS-MC
39
b. Implications of the study
41
c. Limitations of the study
42
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
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d. Significance of the study
43
e. Recommendations for future research
43
VIII.
References
IX.
Appendices
44
A. Letter of Invitation for an Interview with Expert 1
53
B. Letter of Invitation for an Interview with Expert 2
55
C. Letter of Invitation for an Interview with Expert 3
54
D. Letter of Invitation to Victim 1
56
E. Letter of Invitation to Victim 2
57
F. Letter of Invitation to Victim 3
58
G. Consent Form for Interview with Expert 1
59
H. Consent Form for Interview with Expert 2
60
I. Consent Form for Interview with Expert 3
61
J. Consent Form for Interview with Victim 1
62
K. Consent Form for Interview with Victim 2
63
L. Consent Form for Interview with Victim 3
64
M. Interview Guide for Expert 1
65
N. Interview Guide for Expert 2
66
O. Interview Guide for Expert 3
67
P. Interview Guide for Victims 1, 2, and 3
68
Q. Expanded Field Notes from Interview with Expert 1
69
R. Expanded Field Notes from Interview with Expert 2
75
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S. Expanded Field Notes for Interview with Victim 1
82
T. Expanded Field Notes from Interview with Victim 2
89
U. Expanded Field Notes from Interview with Victim 3
94
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
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List of Figures
Figure 1. Number of students among the survey participants who are knowledgeable of
existing sexual harassment cases
24
Figure 2. Degree of encounters of students with sexual harassment through social
media cases
24
Figure 3​. ​Acts of sexual harassment experienced by survey respondents who have had
direct encounters with sexual harassment through social media.
25
Figure 4​. ​Acts of sexual harassment experienced by survey respondents who had direct
encounters with sexual harassment through social media.
26
Figure 5. Acts of sexual harassment experienced by survey respondents who had
indirect encounters with sexual harassment through social media.
27
Figure 6. Action taken of student respondents in terms of reporting the incident of
sexual harassment through social media to the Discipline Office of the
28
school
Figure 7​. ​Amount of students who were certain of acts that would be considered as
sexual harassment
29
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
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Debunking the Stigma:
Sexual Harassment through Social Media in Philippine Science High School Main Campus
Introduction
Essence of sexual harassment. ​Sexual harassment remains to be a
controversial issue that society fails to eliminate despite its presence throughout
history. It is defined as any lascivious advance of offensive nature that is verbally or
physically done without consent (Yates, 2015). The definition of sexual harassment
often varies and is dependent on the terms and conditions of a specific institution or
nation where the act may occur. In a school setting, acts considered as sexual
harassment involve those of unconsented sexual contact that interferes with the
educational well-being of an individual (Stein, 2000). The varying definitions of sexual
harassment contribute as one of the factors that promote its prevalence in present day
society.
According to Kuntsman and Maner (2011), one of the main causes of sexual
harassment is the combination of sexual interest and the feeling of dominance of one
individual over another. Studies have shown that the motives for sexual harassment are
often influenced by sexual desire, personality, and aggression (Brenner, 2018).
However, the establishment of power is said to be the main factor that contributes to
the occurrence of sexual harassment and often outweighs the presence of sexual desire
(McLaughlin, Uggen, & Blackstone, 2012). Sexual harassment has been embedded
into the culture of humanity thus leading to the creation of attitudes and beliefs that
validate this (Fitzgerald, 2017).
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Sexual harassment excludes no one and is an occurrence threatening any
individual. However, the most common victims of sexual harassment are women or
individuals who sexually identify as part of the LGBT+ community (Maass, Galdi, &
Cadinu, 2013). Despite male victims of sexual harassment being less common in
number, this does not validate the lack of inclusion of this population in most existing
research, with the exception of child abuse (World Health Organization, 2002). Other
than this, according to UNICEF (2017), at least 15 million adolescent girls have been
victims of sexual harassment and forced sex in November of 2017.
The effects of sexual harassment could be apparent in physical, social, and
psychological aspects to varying extents depending on the affected individual and the
extremity or duration of the act (Rajoura, Kumari, & Srivastava, 2012). The most
common physical effects of sexual harassment on its victims would be gastrointestinal
problems, binge eating, nervousness, insomnia, and weight loss (Gutek & Koss, 1993),
as well as alcohol and drug abuse, self-harm, and physical inactivity (World Health
Organization, 2002). Objectification of one’s body has been suspected to develop
during the pubertal stage and this often occurs as a result of peer to peer sexual
harassment (Lindberg, Grabe, & Hyde, 2007). Victims sometimes report going through
depression despite around ten years passing since the occurrence of the harassment
(McLaughlin, Uggen, & Blackstone, 2017). Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is
another common psychological effect of victimization from sexual harassment that
may either result in observable difficulty in making adjustments of the individual or
the development of other problems (Hanson, 1990).
Relationships and the lifestyles of these victims also suffer upon sexual
harassment. Morrison (2007) states that family members of individuals victimized by
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sexual harassment could be called “secondary victims” due to the family members
experiencing similar symptoms as the victims. Upon the discovery of sexual
harassment experiences between two members of an intimate relationship, an increase
in precautionary measure in terms of intimacy and tackling the issue could be observed
(Lozano, 2015).
​The influence of social media. S
​ ocial media is one of the most
impactful inventions of the 21st century. Social media is the generic term for
the platforms that allow the interaction of individuals of an online community
or virtual network through the creation or exchange of ideas among themselves
(Shahjahan & Chisty, 2014). The huge mass growth of social media has been
seen over the recent years and has been described as ubiquitous (Staff et al.,
2016). It has allowed a more enhanced manner of spreading and attaining
information, as well as communicating and connecting with other individuals.
Compared to the earlier means of communication such as snail mail or
newspapers, social media allows more up-to-date information to be accessed by
any individual.
Social networking sites (SNS) are the most popular types of social
media and are unique from other social media given that their main objective is
to enhance relationships and have features such as instant messaging
(Chan-Olmsted, Cho, & Lee, 2013). The modern world has incorporated social
media into the lifestyles of its citizens thus allowing social media to evolve into
various uses with resulting positive and negative effects. Social media users
have been increasing recently over the years with over 4 billion active users
worldwide (Kemp, 2018). Social media is used by numerous individuals of
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
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various age groups from pre-adolescents to senior citizens. This allows its
propagation and the resulting positive and negative effects from this to affect
various types of individuals at an exponential rate.
Numerous immoral acts result from the misuse of social media and one
of which is the propagation of online sexual harassment. Several concerns have
risen regarding online sexual harassment since existing laws and programs do
not include this type of harassment through these media in their jurisdiction.
Laws implemented often cover a protected setting and promote the implication
that the implementation and the resulting harm from the harassment occur in
the same setting (Maryland Law Review, 2012)[1]. Van Royen, Vandebosch, &
Poels (2015) state that “gender-degrading remarks” such as “slut shaming” and
making use of derogatory words, such as “fag” and “slut”, in a “friendship
context” were commonly observed on SNSs. They are used with no intent to
harm, but some receivers of these comments find “severe even if meant as a
joke”.
Correlation of adolescence and sexual harassment. A
​ dolescence is a
crucial period for social development and is associated to numerous
psychosocial changes and emotions (La Greca & Harrison, 2005). Furthermore,
it is crucial in the discovery of sexual identity and intimacy in the development
of an individual (Van Royen, Vandebosch, & Poels, 2015). Adolescent
sexuality involves the discovery of sexual desire, identity, pleasure, and a
ground for social development (Moshman, 2014). Dahl (2004) states that
adolescents often act on risky behavior. The behavior exhibited in this period is
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
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also said to gravely contribute to the formation of their mindset as adults in the
future.
Adolescents commonly mistake acts of sexual harassment as harmless
expressions of sexual desire towards fellow individuals (McMaster, Connolly,
Pepler, & Craig, 2002). The formulation of peers is also a major occurrence
during this period and harassment can be easily executed in these groups
(Fineran, Bennet, & Sacco, 2003). Those who experience sexual harassment to
a more severe extent such as peer sexual harassment and coercion are more
likely to experience mental health disorders such as depression or anxiety
(Bendixen and Kennair, 2017).
The State of Sexual Harassment in the Philippines. I​ n the Philippines, an
increasing number of rape, molestation, catcalling, and other forms of unwanted sexual
advancement cases have been reported despite the establishment of the Anti-Sexual
Harassment Bill in 1995 (“Sexual Harassment”, 2017). The Philippines is also the
leading user of social media in the world, measured by the amount of hours of
social-media use of the active users in the country, for three years in a row. Numerous
controversies have risen regarding sexual harassment through social media such as
private groups or conversations that have the purpose of objectifying women. These
cases are often overlooked and are not given the corresponding consequences to ensure
justice. Currently, there is a lack of existing studies regarding the prevalence of sexual
harassment in the Philippines in both adult and adolescent populations.
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Sexual Harassment in Philippine Science High School - Main
Campus. ​Philippine Science High School - Main Campus is a secondary level
learning institution in the Philippines esteemed for its program in Science and
Mathematics. The student population of the school currently consists of around
1,440 adolescents with ages ranging from 11 to 20 years old. Numerous cases
in the school regarding sexual harassment have been recorded with some of
these occurring through social media platforms.
The proper execution of the study could have a positive effect in the
state of sexual harassment in the PSHS-MC community. This will allow the
administration to attain a more specific and objective perspective on the issue
and consequently formulate better policies to tackle this. Extendedly, the study
would provide more up to date data on sexual harassment occurring in the
Philippines, particularly sexual harassment in a population of adolescents.
The research focused on investigating the status of sexual harassment through
social media in the student population of Philippine Science High School - Main
Campus. It was executed in order to better understand and establish a solid foundation
of information regarding this issue within the campus.
Previous studies state that the existence of sexual harassment through social
media is truly apparent and increasing in the adolescent population of present day
society. However, there is a limited amount of studies that specifically tackle the
sexual harassment occurring through social media in a secondary school setting. Most
of the studies give focus to students who are in their college education. Furthermore,
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
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there is also a lack in existing studies that tackle sexual harassment in the Philippines,
and in schools of the secondary level in the Philippines.
This section will be followed by the methodology, the results and discussion,
and the conclusion. The methodology will discuss the procedures that will be done in
order to execute the study such as subject selection, data gathering methods, and
analysis methods. The gathered data from the implementation of the study will be
presented along with a detailed interpretation and analysis in the results and discussion
section. The conclusion section will include the generalization established from the
collected data, as well as the recommendations that can be done to improve the study.
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Method
Methodology. ​The study will utilize qualitative research methods in order to
accomplish the established objectives. Qualitative studies involve approaches of
discovery that tackle social occurrences or phenomena while focusing on the questions
of “how” or “why” instead of “what” (Yin, 1994). Subjects of the study often rely on
and relay descriptive or non-numerical data. Researchers attain no control over the
events or experiences of the participants. These qualitative methods will be utilized in
order to determine the prevalence of sexual harassment through social media among
the students of Philippine Science High School - Main Campus (PSHS-MC).
Research questions. ​The study attempted to determine how social media
platforms are used by PSHS-MC students in implementing sexual harassment towards
fellow students. Further questions were asked to gather more data to satisfy the
objectives, specifically:
1. What factors contribute to the perpetuation of sexual harassment
through social media?
2. Who are the common victims of this type of harassment and how is
their well-being affected?
3. How are these situations handled by the school?
Methods.​ T
​ he method for survey and interviews were employed.
Survey. ​A survey was implemented in order to gather student-based
data regarding occurences of sexual harassment through social media, both
recorded and unrecorded, within the school community. This was done online
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
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through the use of Google Forms and was open to every member of the student
population. The survey first gathered the personal information of the
participants such as their age, batch or year level, gender, sexual orientation,
and name, which was optional. They were then asked if they were
knowledgeable of instances of such harassment within the student population
in order to asses the amount of students who are aware of the occurrence of
such an issue in the school. The questionnaire that followed was dependent on
their answer to the former question wherein if the participant does not know of
any cases, their form will be submitted immediately. For those who were
knowledgeable, the succeeding questionnaire was dependent on their
participation in such an incident whether directly, as a victim or harasser, or
indirectly, as a bystander.
For the participants who were victims or harassers, they were asked
regarding their social media usage, particularly risky behavior on the internet
that they have exhibited the past twelve months (Winkelman, Early, Walker,
Chu, Yick-Flanagan, 2015). Other than this, they were asked to select from a
set of acts considered as virtual sexual harassment, gathered from a paper by
Fogarty (2014), that they have executed or witnessed, as well as to share any
other forms of virtual sexual harassment not stated in the set of acts. For those
who were bystanders, they were asked to select acts from a similar set of
actions, but only if they have witnessed such. Both questionnaires also asked
participants if they experienced confusion regarding what specific acts that
would fall under sexual harassment in order to gauge the presence of
misconceptions and lack of education regarding the nature of sexual harassment
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
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among the students. Finally, the survey asked if the incident of virtual sexual
harassment the participants witnessed was reported to the Discipline Office of
the school to get an idea regarding the state of unrecorded cases in the school.
Other than this, it was asked if this was due to their inability to distinguish
regarding thended by asking regarding the participants’ confusion regarding the
concept of sexual harassment, specifically the acts that would fall under it.
Interviews. ​Interviews were implemented in order to get data for the
research. An interview is defined as a verbal conversation present between two
or more people while collecting data and information relevant to the research
proper (McNamara, 1999). The location of the interviews was dependent on the
most suitable choice for the interviewee such as their place of work. Individuals
with varied backgrounds who are associated with sexual harassment were
interviewed in order to gather a wide perspective on sexual harassment. A
member from the board of the White Ribbon advocate or member of an
anti-sexual harassment organization from another country, was interviewed in
order to attain a broader and more global perspective of the issue. A guidance
counselor for high school students, specifically one working in PSHS-MC, was
interviewed to discover more about the reaction of adolescents to being
sexually harassed and what would be the precautionary measures in handling
these individuals. Another expert, an adult from the PSHS community who
comes into contact with cases regarding sexual harassment, was also
interviewed to gather some statistics regarding the perpetuation of the issue
within the school. Finally, student victims from PSHS-MC associated with an
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existing case in the school were interviewed to determine the effects of such an
occurrence to their lifestyle.
An interview guide and plan was formulated. Interview questions were
prepared carefully prior to the interview. The interviewees were informed of
the interview through a letter of invitation and and were given consent forms to
participate in the study and for the specific data from the interview that they
wish to be included in the study. The most appropriate time and place for the
interview was determined upon contact with the interviewees. The interviews
were conducted electronically or personally depending on the interviewee. The
researcher, guidance counselor, disciplinary officer, and student victims were
interviewed personally while the organization member was interviewed through
electronic means such as video call. All interviews were be recorded through
video or audio and were transcribed. The data from the interviews were then
carefully analyzed and were reviewed to gather common trends that were
observable among all the participants.
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Results
The study attempts to determine how social media platforms are used by
PSHS-MC students in the execution of sexual harassment towards fellow students. It
presents the current state of sexual harassment, both physically and virtually, in the
PSHS-MC community. Qualitative research methods were utilized in order to gather
the necessary data. An interview was held with an expert on sexual harassment and
another was conducted with one of the guidance counselors of PSHS-MC. Three
students who were victims of sexual harassment through social media were also
interviewed.
The data collected is then analyzed and presented in the following section. All
data presented answers the research questions of the study.
Contributors to the perpetuation of sexual harassment​. ​The development of
social media has allowed a new generation of sexual harassment to be apparent (Expert
1, personal communication, December 12, 2018). ​It was also stated that this new
generation involves the use of social media for stalking, sending of pornographic
images, human trafficking, and many other lascivious acts to be accessible to any
individual. Numerous causes contribute to the increasing rate of virtual sexual
harassment apparent in present day society.
The lack of conversation regarding the issue. According to Expert 1
(personal communication, December 12, 2018), the main reason for the prevalence of
sexual harassment is the lack of conversation regarding the issue, which could also be
applicable to sexual harassment through social media. Given the stigmatized
perspective regarding the issue, there is no developed language to use in order to talk
about the issue thus allowing some individuals to be completely unaware of the
magnitude of the problem.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
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The internet and features of social media sites.​ ​Another contributor to the
prevalence of this type of harassment is the internet and the structure of certain social
media sites. Expert 3 (personal communication, May 7, 2019) stated that acts done
virtually allow immoral tasks to be done much easier due to the lack of physical and
face-to-face contact between two users. The internet allows much freedom to be given
to individuals thus resulting in the lack of repercussions for the actions done on this
platform. ​The possibility of having altered profiles shown to the public or the
application of anonymity in social media content strengthens the inclination of
harassers to act through this medium. The lack of privacy present on some social
media sites allows sexual harassment to concern not only what an individual does in
person, but also their presence online and their activities towards others.
Technology and differences in generations. ​The use of social media to
execute sexual harassment also involves the use of applications and software
that may be unfamiliar to adults. Expert 1 (personal communication, December
12, 2018) recalls receiving numerous calls from school boards inquiring about
the proper methods in handling sexual harassment through social media since
educators often find themselves in unfamiliar positions given that their
generation varies from the generation of their students. Another example of this
would be the inactivity of some adults on social media platforms hence their
lack of knowledge regarding the possible manifestations of sexual harassment
through virtual means (Expert 2, personal communication, January 25, 2019).
Traits that induce victimization. ​There is no definite trend on the type of
people who are victimized by sexual harassment through social media. Based on the
interview with the Expert 2 (personal communication, January 25, 2019), harassers do
not directly choose their victims. Motives for committing sexual harassment through
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social media is more heavily influenced by the perception of the harasser than the
background or actions of the victims. Harassers do not choose specific people, but
there are still some factors that may possibly contribute to who they choose to harass.
An example of which would be the type of content and the actual content posted on the
social media account of these individuals. Nonetheless, the interpretation of harassers
to this type of content is a bigger contributor to the prevalence of sexual harassment
than the content itself (Expert 2, ​personal communication, January 25, 2019​).
Friendship as a factor. ​There is a correlation between the physical and
social interactions of the harassers and the victims and their frequency of
immoral virtual interactions. Based on the data gathered, one of the victims
discovered that their sexual predator is an individual she considered as a close
friend. ​This resulted in one of the factors that made her experience more
difficult to handle since the victimization was done by a friend. According to
Expert 2 (​personal communication, January 25, 2019​), some victims who are
friends with their harassers tend to have their judgment clouded regarding the
acts being done to them. The trust given by these individuals to their harassers
may inhibit them from reporting and cutting off ties with their harassers, or
maybe even recognizing that they are being harassed.
Establishment of power as a contributor. ​Power dynamics also
contribute to the victimization of individuals. Popularity, social classes, and
degree of capabilities play a major role in the power dynamics present in a
secondary school (Expert 2, personal communication, January 25, 2019).
Perception of vulnerability varies and may go both ways wherein those in
higher ranks may perceive those in the lower levels as more vulnerable, but
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
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also vice versa. ​Sexual harassers may target those who are more inferior to
them in their perspective since they would view them as easy targets.
Effects of the incident on the well-being of victims. ​There are various effects
to the well-being of the individuals who have been victimized by sexual harassment
through social media, particularly psychosocially and mentally.
Psychosocial effects. ​One of the most common psychosocial effects of
sexual harassment through social media involve differences in the appearance
and behavior of victimized individuals. There were certain experiences that
were common for all of the interviewed victims. All of subjects mentioned that
upon the incident, they became more conscious about their clothing, ensuring
that they would not be too tight. Other than this, all also became more wary of
the behavior and etiquette while in the school premises, particularly their
manner of sitting and other gestures. One of the testimonies included the
development of exhibiting more reluctant behavior towards her fellow male
students, particularly to those she was not close to.
Effects on mental state. ​There were also numerous negative and positive
effects to the mental state of the victims. A common feeling among all of the subjects
was the feeling of shame. One of the interviewees described her experience as
“traumatizing” and leaving her “broken” (Participant 3, personal communication,
January 24, 2019).
Presence of secondary victims. T
​ he effects of sexual harassment extend to not
only victims, but also the loved ones of the victims such as their friends and family.
Participant 2 recalled the feeling of remorse being felt by her mother due to her
incapability to protect her daughter and her friends, who were also being sexually
harassed. ​She further expounds on the experience stating that, “my mom, when she
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
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found out that he was kicked out...my mom cried...and then we cried together ‘cause
she was really affected that she couldn't do anything and then that guy was still in
Pisay" (Participant 2, personal communication, January 23, 2019). ​Another
interviewee mentioned having the relationship between her and her parents tarnished
due to speculations of her actions that might be the cause of her involvement in the
case. ​From here, both of the relatives of the victims were also affected by the incident,
but was expressed in different means.
Positive outcomes. ​Nonetheless, the experience allowed some of the
victims to find a sense of support as a way of coping with the incident.
Participants 2 and 3 mentioned receiving constant support and words of
encouragement from their friends and family, as well as fellow victims. One of
the victims also coped very well with her experience allowing her to currently
be willing to advocate for the social issue, especially to aid the other students
who have experienced sexual harassment through social media. The gathered
data allows the implication that there is not much difference between the effects
of sexual harassment done physically and sexual harassment done through
social media to the victimized individuals.
On the state of the problem in PSHS-MC. T
​ he presence of sexual harassment
through social media in the PSHS-MC community is acknowledged by the
administration. The PSHS-MC system indicates that the methods of addressing these
types of issues involve the participation of both the Discipline Office and the Guidance
Center. The Discipline Office leads in the investigation of the existing sexual
harassment cases, as well as the formulation of retributions or policies that would be
suitable for the issue. Within this process, the Guidance Office is then linked through
the endorsement of the Discipline Office to the victims that they may seek help or
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
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counsel due to the straining or stressful circumstances that surround being involved in
this type of case, if they need it​.
Student perspective. F
​ rom the 41 respondents of the survey, it was
found that 24.4% of those individuals did not know of any existing cases of
sexual harassment through social media to occur within the school (Figure 1).
From the 31 respondents who are knowledgeable of such incidents, six of these
had direct encounters or were either victims or harassers while the remaining
25 were bystanders (Figure 2).
Figure 1.​ Number of students among the survey participants who are
knowledgeable of existing sexual harassment cases
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
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Figure 2.​ Degree of encounters of students with sexual harassment through
social media cases
Figure 3 shows the social media activity for the last twelve months of
the six participants who experienced acts of virtual sexual harassment directly.
All of the participants were active on social media, but varied in their specific
activities. The actions most common to all of them, however, was publicizing
their social media accounts and posting about their personal feelings and
scheduled activities.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
26
Figure 3. A
​ cts of sexual harassment experienced by survey respondents
who have had direct encounters with sexual harassment through social media
On the other hand, Figure 4 shows the specific acts of sexual
harassment through social media that the respondents experienced or executed.
It could be seen that the act common to all of them was receiving sexual
messages through private messaging, which was followed by sending of sexual
messages through private messaging.
Some respondents also reported to
engaging in sexual encounters online, but none participated in sexually
degrading activities such as harassing individuals through comments on posts
and participating in online discussions that sexualize fellow students.
Figure 4. A
​ cts of sexual harassment experienced by survey respondents
who had direct encounters with sexual harassment through social media
For the respondents who were bystanders, Figure 5 shows the acts of
sexual harassment through social media they have heard of or know someone
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
27
who was engaged in. It could be seen that the most common act is receiving
sexual messages through private messaging, which is followed by participating
in group chats that sexualize their fellow students. Other acts of sexual
encounters online were also recorded, as well as head on leaving degrading
comments on social media posts of other students. However, none reported to
asking for sexual favors if their identity could be seen.
Figure 5​ . Acts of sexual harassment experienced by survey respondents
who had indirect encounters with sexual harassment through social media
Among all of the respondents who knew of cases of sexual harassment
through social media, only four reported the case to the Discipline Office. One,
on the other hand, reported it to the Guidance Center. The rest of the
individuals did not report the incident due to reasons such as their lack of
evidence or knowledge regarding the event of harassment and the belief that
nothing will occur if the incidents were to be reported (See Figure 6).
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
28
Figure 6​ . Action taken of student respondents in terms of reporting the
incident of sexual harassment through social media to the Discipline Office of
the school
Finally, as seen in Figure 7, it was also found that 40.6% percent of the
students who were knowledgeable of cases of sexual harassment through social
media occurring in the school were unsure of what acts would be considered as
harassment or not. Some of the reasons collected for this were that there was
difficulty in knowing if certain actions would be deemed inappropriate by
others as compared to their own perspective, as well as their lack of a personal
experience on sexual harassment as a whole.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
29
Figure 7. ​Amount of students who were certain of
considered as sexual harassment
acts that would be
Trends in the act. ​The presence of sexual harassment through social
media has been reported to have an “obvious rise”. According to Expert 3
(personal communication, May 7, 2019), there were three major cases of sexual
harassment within the school year, which is much greater compared to the
previous years. The most common type of acts present within the student
population would be online discussions regarding inappropriate and lascivious
topics concerning other students, as well as an exchange of provocative images
through these virtual platforms, which could be confirmed by the online survey
answered by students.
Processing of the case. ​The specific procedure followed by the school
is to ask the person filing a case to produce a written statement regarding the
incident of virtual sexual harassment they have experienced, which would
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
30
include the names of their harassers (Expert 3, personal communication, May 7,
2019). Afterwards, the individuals they have reported will be called on for
further investigation until the case is solved. However, it was also stated that
the reason why numerous incidents of sexual harassment through social media
reported by the students do no get solved is due to the lack of evidence.
The interviewed victims testified to their experience upon the discovery
of the Discipline Office of their predicament. Participant 2, one of the victims
who directly reported their case, disclosed that she was asked to file a report
regarding the details of the occurrence, but was not notified regarding any
updates on the case afterwards (personal communication, January 23, 2019).
She also mentioned having her parents contact the NBI by themselves due to
the lack of communication from the Discipline Office. ​On the other hand,
Participant 3, who was only called on by the Discipline Office regarding her
case due to another campus discovering the lascivious content online, was a
key part in the investigation of the case resulting in her frequent visits to the
Discipline Office to report her experience.
Feedback on the actions taken. ​There is varied feedback regarding the
action taken by the administration. Participant 2 (personal communication,
January 23, 2019) disclosed that she was not satisfied by the action taken by the
administration in handling the case due to the slow processing of the case). On
the other hand, Participant 3 (personal communication, January 24, 2019),
whose experience with sexual harassment through social media was more
accessible to the public, reported that the Discipline Office handled her case
immediately. Expert 2 (personal communication, January 25, 2019) mentioned
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
31
that the Discipline Office ensure that such cases are taken care of, but still
acknowledges that there must be better programs regarding these issues,
especially for the victims.
Programs that tackle sexual harassment in the school. ​Expert 3
(personal communication, May 7, 2019) stated that acts of sexual harassment
fall under the school policy that handles all types of voyeurism. He also stated
that it was about time for a specific policy to handle this type of harassment to
be formulated due to the evident increase of cases concerning this. Nonetheless,
there are currently existing programs in the PSHS-MC community that focus
on sexual harassment among students, specifically seminars regarding the
nature of sexual harassment. Other than this, the formulation of a specific
policy that tackles sexual harassment is also occurring, as well as planning for
the execution of seminars that focus on values such as respect for dignity and
educating regarding the nature of sexual harassment as a whole (Expert 3,
personal communication, May 7, 2019). It was also gathered that student
victims are not forced to see the guidance office, given that there may be varied
methods of coping for every individual. Nonetheless, according to Expert 2
(personal communication, January 25, 2019), there is still a long process in
order to achieve the termination of such harassment in the school community.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
32
Discussion
This section will attempt to present an analysis and interpretation of the data
gathered, which was presented prior to this section. This data will also be compared to
other existing related studies in an effort to formulate sensible conclusions, as well as
recommendations, from the study.
Interpretation and explanation of results. ​The prevalence of sexual
harassment through social media in PSHS-MC is caused by several factors. One of
which is the lack of conversation regarding the issue due to the stigma surrounding it.
Sexual harassment has always been given a negative undertone throughout history and
discussions regarding such are often avoided, especially in the Philippines, which is
coined to be a very conservative country. This has prevented the development of a
language specified for the issue thus resulting in its pervasiveness in various
environments (Rakesh & Manish, 2014). In secondary schools, sexuality and acts of
coercion regarding this are areas not covered by established curricula. This restricts
adolescents of being knowledgeable about acts that may or may not be considered as
sexual harassment (Barak, 1997).
Other than this, adolescents are one of the leading users of the internet and
social media sites. The internet allows much freedom and access to public and personal
information, which could then be utilized by harassers. Interactions with various users
is very common through social media platforms, allowing execution of the harassment
to be easier. Given that the internet is a technological advancement, solving crimes
done through this platform involves the use of technology as well, which may be
inaccessible to some nations such as the Philippines. Adolescents manipulate
applications and software much easier than some adults. The absence of existing
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
33
policies addressing the issue may root from the trend of confusion regarding social
media usage in older generations of people, as well as their lack of knowledge in
properly addressing these types of situations due to their criticism towards the act.
Regarding the factor of victimization from the issue, power dynamics is a
major contributor to this. Power, being a relative concept, is a matter of associated
vulnerability and perception of superiority over other individuals. Harassers victimize
the people who they deem are inferior to them with the basis of their personal
perspective in aspects ranging from popularity and social class to attained skill sets and
intellectual capabilities (McLaughlin, Uggen, & Blackstone, 2012). The closeness of
the relationship of a harasser may also be perceived as advantageous due to their easy
access to the person and their information physically. These collected details could
then be used to execute the harassment virtually with ease. The trust established by
victims to their previously known harassers is a big factor in inhibiting them from
realizing the abuse they may be experiencing, as well as reporting their experience.
Social media activity of victimized students may also contribute to their tendency to
victimization since being more active in social media platforms allow more
information about the profile holders to be revealed. Posts that contain negative
insights, such as public testimonies regarding one’s mental health, may be a standard
of vulnerability for certain harassers. Another would be the posts that show the user in
revealing outfits, though wrongful, may be perceived by the harasser as an invitation to
pester.
The numerous effects of the experience of victims are reflected in various
aspects of their well-being. Given that the primary targets for harassment of the sexual
predators was the physical appearance of the victims, this allowed them to have a more
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
34
negative outlook of their body image and behavior towards fellow students. Body
image issues result from the perception of individuals that their representation of their
bodies was the reason for their harassment (Harned, 2000). The changes in the
behavior of the victims also show that they attribute their harassment to their actions.
Males are the most common sexual predators, especially towards women, allowing
more repercussions from women when interacting with this gender. Adolescents
undergo puberty and this contributes to the criticality of experiencing sexual
harassment in this stage of life. The feeling of shame resulting from the incident is a
powerful contributor to the traumatic aspect of the encounter, which may consequently
impact the mental state of the victims. The families of victims may also experience a
decline in their mental health due to feelings of remorse or guilt from the incident. The
stigma from the social issue may also affect the reputation of a member to fellow
family members or even a family to the rest of society. On the other hand, support
systems become more visible in times of crisis. In dealing with unethical situations, the
support from individuals may inhibit the degradation of the mental state of a victim
and may allow recovery from the traumatic experience to be easier.
Just like all other misconduct cases, the Discipline Office leads the
investigations regarding existing sexual harassment cases through social media. The
involvement of government services, such as the NBI, represents the lack of resources
present in the campus in order to tackle problems of this type. The lack of updates
from the Discipline Office to the victims exhibit a sense of abandonment or neglect,
making the experience of the students worse (Participant 2, personal communication,
January 23, 2019). The Guidance Center does not require students to visit them
regarding the issue given that they may feel forced and may even worsen the situation
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
35
or emotions of the affected individuals. The Guidance Center simply encourages
students to openly talking about their experience as a manner of healing. Cases that are
more public, hence possibly calling more attention to the school, are given more
importance since these have a higher tendency to negatively impact the school name
and image compared to the cases that have not reached the ears of the public. The
recent increase in the number of cyber sexual harassment cases allowed the issue to
increase in priority regarding the concerns in the school community that should be
tackled immediately.
Contributors to the perpetuation of sexual harassment. ​Despite the belief that
sexual harassment is a universal topic for concern in present-day society, there is still
actually no concrete or universally consistent definition for sexual harassment.
Individuals often have varying understandings of sexual harassment depending on
their background and nationality. They may have their own understanding or insights
regarding sexual harassment, but this is not a solid foundation for an educated
discussion regarding the topic. Despite the numerous programs and advocacies against
sexual harassment, there is still a long way to go in terms of termination of the issue. It
is true that much progress has been achieved regarding addressing this phenomena and
its negative effects, but these are still inadequate to truly provide a remedy for the
problem. Several individuals or even nations are still unaware about the existence or
immensity of the sexual harassment in their respective cultures and environment.
Cessation of sexual harassment involves the participation and effort of all the
individuals in society, not just those who are directly affected.
This is confirmed by a study by Kenny (2019) stating that individuals
of different genders, and even varying nations, have different perspectives
regarding sexual harassment. Sexual harassment has only been recently given
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
36
attention and is still currently overlooked in Nigeria (Abe, 2012). In other
parts of South Africa, only 75% of female student subjects reported to know
about sexual harassment, and 65% feared encountering it at night (Mohanan,
2017). Adolescents find it difficult to determine if an act executed through the
internet would be considered inappropriate or unwelcome (“Young people’s
experiences”, 2017). The amount of cases reported regarding cyber sexual
harassment results in a struggle for social media companies to provide policies
and standards for the protection of their users (Wihbey, 2015). Despite the
existence of laws or policies that tackle sexual harassment, these are often
restricted to physical locations (Franks, 2012). In a study conducted by Schenk
(2008), 60% of social media site users reported to experiencing uncomfortable
or personally alarming situations while using these platforms. Nonetheless,
only 45.8% of these experiences were confirmed to be under the scope of the
official definition of sexual harassment of the study. Despite the eagerness of
adults to be educated about technology and its applications, there are several
hindrances to this such as health condition, the lack of formal instructions and
support, as well as the lack of confidence and resources (Vaportzis, et al.,
2017).
Traits that induce victimization. ​Victim-shaming is a trend and a very
rampant misconception when in reality, it is entirely the harasser’s fault. The
unscrupulous behavior of these predators stem from their education regarding
the topic or even other social issues, which can be influenced by their primary
caregivers and the environments they are exposed to. For the harasser, their
lascivious acts are simply “normal” since this is what they have been
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
37
accustomed to in the duration of their lives. It should be social knowledge that
an innocent bystander should not be held accountable for any dishonorable
task done to them regardless of appearance or background. Most of the time,
victims post on social media platforms without the implication that the content
of these posts will be utilized for wrongful acts. Around two-thirds of a
population of young adults reported that their experience with sexual
harassment was done by an individual they had prior relations with their
predators (Fisher, Cullen, & Turner, 2000). Offenders who are non-strangers
to their chosen victims exhibit more personal interest towards them allowing
their motives for harassment to be less sex-motivated (Woods & Porter, 2008).
A similar circumstance is present in the military wherein female work force
members do not report the sexual harassment they have encountered due to
their harasser being a friend (​Mengeling, Booth, Torner, & Sadler, 2014​). The
establishment of power is said to be the main factor that contributes to the
occurrence of sexual harassment and often outweighs the presence of sexual
desire (McLaughlin, Uggen, & Blackstone, 2012). Nonetheless, women in
higher positions may still be more at risk to sexual harassment than male in
lower positions while male employees in a high rank in a workplace believe
that they are more likely to attract those with a lower rank (Kuntsman &
Maner, 2011).
In a population of 14 to 17 years old, around 72% reported to posting
personal information online and 54% utilized the internet for online chat
rooms (Kennedy & Taylor, 2010). College students who are active social
media users are reported to post several personal photos of themselves. The
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
38
risk factors of sexual solicitation discovered from the study were being female,
a​ctively talking about sex, and having been previously abused physically.
Victim-shaming is a common trend present in investigations regarding sexual
harassment cases (Gravelin, Biernat, & Baldwin, 2017).
Effects of the incident on the well-being of victims. ​The effects from a
traumatic experience can be easily recovered if they occur during adolescence.
Some victims carry the negative impact of their harassment until they are fully
grown adults. Despite the varied reactions or coping mechanisms of
individuals in terms of the distressing experience, attention should still be
given in order to properly handle the situation.
Around 13% of sexual harassment victims have experienced blaming
themselves for their encounter with the incident (Weiss, 2010). Objectification
of one’s body has been suspected to develop during the pubertal stage and this
often occurs as a result of peer to peer sexual harassment (Lindberg, Grabe, &
Hyde, 2007). Sexual harassment through cyber means allow individuals to be
severely affected in both physical and cyber means (Barak, 2005). Morrison
(2007) states that family members of individuals victimized by sexual
harassment could be called “secondary victims” due to the family members
experiencing similar symptoms as the victims. Encountering individuals who
are willing to listen to the experience of sexual harassment victims contribute
to a positive impact to the well-being of the abused individuals (“Effects of
Sexual Violence”, 2018).
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
39
On the state of the problem in PSHS-MC. It could be seen that the
awareness of students regarding the prevalence of the issue is varied. From the
collected data from the victims or harassers, it could be seen that they are
active users of social media and have exhibited some risky behavior on the
internet. This behavior could have influenced the type of virtual sexual
harassment they have experienced. On the other hand, for the bystanders who
knew of such cases, a wider variety of harassing actions were reported when
compared to those reported by those directly affected. This shows the amount
and variety of possible instances of sexual harassment through social media
that is being executed in the school.
From the survey, it was also seen how there is a lack of education
regarding the nature of sexual harassment, specifically what acts should be
considered as harassment and how to protect oneself from it. This could have
affected the high rate of individuals who did not report the incidence of
harassment they were knowledgeable of. Other than this, it was disclosed how
certain students did not feel comfortable sharing their experience to officials
of the school which may be rooted from shame and guilt from the event, as
well as the belief that there would be no benefit from doing so.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
40
The existing policy that handles sexual harassment under the school
falls under a regulation scoping all acts of voyeurism. Due to the increase in
cases apparent in the school, it calls for the need for specific policy of this.
Other than this it was stated that in a study by Perkins (2017), despite the
presence of school policies tackling sexual harassment, these often do not
abide by the federal policies and are often stated in a vague structure. This
gives the implication that such established policies do not properly convey the
necessary specifications to properly tackle cases of sexual harassment.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
41
Implications of the study. ​The data implies that the sexual harassment
occurring through social media is a subset of the harassment occurring physically
given the similarity in their causes of prevalence. However, the differences in their
nature also implies that their methods of termination may vary. Furthermore, the
background of the harasser, especially the development of his or her interpretation to
the self-expression of fellow individuals, serves a bigger role in the perpetuation of
sexual harassment through social media compared to the background of the victims
themselves. Other than this, the outcomes of sexual harassment through social media
on the victims are generally negative, despite the presence of some positive ones.
Furthermore, experiencing sexual harassment at such a young age, such as in
adolescence, may severely hinder the development of an individual’s mindset and
personality. Regarding the PSHS-MC System, and extensively many other school
systems in and beyond the country, has a flawed sexual harassment policy, but it shows
their assertiveness and effort in trying to resolve the issue.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
42
Limitations of the study. ​The study tackles sexual harassment occurring in
social media sites and not just maltreatment done face-to-face. Reliability of results
could have been better if more experts were interviewed. One professional advocate
against sexual harassment and a professional psychiatrist were interviewed for the
study. This limits the data collected given that these individuals answered the interview
questions based on both their expertise and experience, which would be restricted to
their work environment and encounters. The study also offers information from both
the perspective of a harasser and some victims. However, the data was gathered from
two experts instead of an actual harasser. This was due to the risk involved in asking
for the perspective of a harasser given the sensitivity of the topic and possible shame
from the occurrence. The information stated regarding the perspective of harassers
were also from adults, thus a lack in the data collected from the perspective of actual
adolescent harassers.. Data was from an individual who reported her case to the
Discipline Office, one who did not report her case but reached the Discipline Office
through the work of another party, and whose encounter still remains unreported. The
interviewed victims all had a common harasser thus the methods of abuse encountered
by all were quite similar.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
43
Significance of the study. ​The study is a vital addition to the limited number
of existing studies of sexual harassment through social media based in an adolescent
setting on a school-wide, nationwide, and worldwide level. It provides a foundation of
data regarding the state of sexual harassment in the PSHS-MC community and could
be utilized by the school administration in handling the issue. Other than this, it also
provides a platform for discussion regarding the presence and magnitude of sexual
harassment through social media in a Philippine setting. It gives information regarding
the nature of sexual harassment happening through social media sites in contrast to the
studies that focus on the harassment occurring physically. It calls the attention of
school boards of the insufficiency of existing school policies that covers sexual
harassment, especially the area regarding sexual harassment through social media. It
raises awareness for the need for more studies that focus on the presence of sexual
harassment in young populations such as those in primary and secondary schools.
Recommendations for future research. ​To have a more encompassing
approach on the actual issue of sexual harassment executed through social media, it is
advised to execute this study by covering a wider audience with more variety in the
subjects chosen as victims, as well as the involvement of schools with existing policies
that tackle this type of sexual harassment. Further research could also be done
regarding the point of view and effects of such events on harassers, both adolescents
and adults. Other than this, research could be done on the effectivity of such school
policies, or the methods that could improve these.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
44
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SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
53
Appendix A
Letter of Invitation for an Interview with Expert 1
December 10, 2018
Ms. Maybelline Pacia
Community Engagement Manager
White Ribbon
36 Eglinton Ave W, Suite 603
Toronto, ON M4R 1A1
Canada
Dear ​Mr.Garzon​:
Good day!
I am a Grade 11 student from Philippine Science High School – Main Campus and I am studying
English 5: English for Pre-University Students I under Ms. Kornellie L. Raquitico.
I am currently conducting a case study entitled “​Prevalence of Sexual Harassment through
Social Media Among Students of Philippine Science High School - Main Campus
(PSHS-MC)​” and I would like to invite you for an interview at the time of your convenience for
me to be able to gather data regarding your take on the nature of sexual harassment among
adolescents.
Specifically, I would like to know about the following information:
1. your perspective on sexual harassment in today’s society;
2. the role of social media in the propagation of sexual harassment; and
3. the differences between sexual harassment occurring among adolescents in a school and
adults in a workplace.
I am looking forward to your favorable response. Please contact me through my email at
b20.patricia.caronan@pshs.edu.ph or through my mobile 09178531124 for your response,
questions, or concerns regarding this invitation.
Thank you very much for your time.
Sincerely yours,
Patricia Carmela V. Caronan
Grade 11 Block F Student
Noted by:
Kornellie L. Raquitico
English 5 Teacher
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
54
Appendix B
Letter on Invitation for an Interview with Expert 2
January 14, 2019
Ms. Maybelline Pacia
Guidance Counselor
Philippine Science High School - Main Campus
Agham Road, Diliman,
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Philippines
Dear ​Ms. Pacia​:
Good day!
I am a Grade 11 student from Philippine Science High School – Main Campus and I am studying
E​nglish 5: English for Pre-University Students I​ under Ms. Kornellie L. Raquitico.
I am currently conducting a case study entitled “​Prevalence of Sexual Harassment through
Social Media Among Students of Philippine Science High School - Main Campus
(PSHS-MC)​” and I would like to invite you for an interview at the time of your convenience for
me to be able to gather data regarding your take on the nature of sexual harassment among
adolescents.
Specifically, I would like to know about the following information:
1. your take on the state of sexual harassment, specifically through social media, occurring in
the school;
2. the ways victims react to being sexually harassed; and
3. the measures taken by the administration in order to tackle these occurrences.
I am looking forward to your favorable response. Please contact me through my email at
b20.patricia.caronan@pshs.edu.ph or through my mobile 09178531124 for your response,
questions, or concerns regarding this invitation.
Thank you very much for your time.
Sincerely yours,
Patricia Carmela V. Caronan
Grade 11 Block F Student
Noted by:
Kornellie L. Raquitico
English 5 Teacher
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
55
Appendix C
Letter of Invitation to Expert 3
April 28, 2019
Mr. Charles Joseph G. De Guzman
Discipline Officer
Philippine Science High School - Main Campus
Agham Road, Diliman,
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Philippines
Dear ​Mr. De Guzman​:
Good day!
I am a Grade 11 student from Philippine Science High School – Main Campus and I am studying
E​nglish 5: English for Pre-University Students I​ under Ms. Kornellie L. Raquitico.
I am currently conducting a case study entitled “​Debunking the Stigma: Sexual Harassment
through Social Media in Philippine Science High School - Main Campus​” and I would like to
invite you for an interview at the time of your convenience for me to be able to gather data
regarding your take on the nature of sexual harassment among adolescents.
Specifically, I would like to know about the following information:
1. the numerical statistics of existing sexual harassment through social media cases in
Philippine Science High School - Main Campus;
2. specific examples of sexual harassment through social media executed in the school
environment; and
3. the specific procedure and measures taken by the school handles such cases;
I am looking forward to your favorable response. Please contact me through my email at
b20.patricia.caronan@pshs.edu.ph or through my mobile 09178531124 for your response,
questions, or concerns regarding this invitation.
Thank you very much for your time.
Sincerely yours,
Patricia Carmela V. Caronan
Grade 11 Block F Student
Noted by:
Kornellie L. Raquitico
English 5 Teacher
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
56
Appendix D
Letter of Invitation to Victim 1
English 5 Teacher
January 16, 2019
Ms. Caithleen Anne U. Ricaforte
Student
Philippine Science High School - Main Campus
Agham Road, Diliman,
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Philippines
Dear ​Ms. Ricaforte​:
Good day!
I am a Grade 11 student from Philippine Science High School – Main Campus and I am studying
E​nglish 5: English for Pre-University Students I​ under Ms. Kornellie L. Raquitico.
I am currently conducting a case study entitled “​Prevalence of Sexual Harassment through Social
Media Among Students of Philippine Science High School - Main Campus (PSHS-MC)​” and I
would like to invite you for an interview at the time of your convenience for me to be able to gather data
regarding your take on the nature of sexual harassment among adolescents.
Specifically, I would like to know about the following information:
1.
2.
3.
your personal experience with sexual harassment through social media executed by a fellow
PSHS student;
the effects of these immoral activities on your mental, emotional, and psychosocial well-being;
and
the resulting measures taken by the administration in order to address the harassment that you
experienced.
I am looking forward to your favorable response. Please contact me through my email at
b20.patricia.caronan@pshs.edu.ph or through my mobile 09178531124 for your response, questions, or
concerns regarding this invitation.
Thank you very much for your time.
Sincerely yours,
Patricia Carmela V. Caronan
Grade 11 Block F Student
Noted by:
Kornellie L. Raquitico
English 5 Teacher
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
57
Appendix E
Letter of Invitation to Victim 2
January 21, 2019
Ms. Helene Elise T. Duran
Student
Philippine Science High School - Main Campus
Agham Road, Diliman,
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Philippines
Dear ​Ms. Duran​:
Good day!
I am a Grade 11 student from Philippine Science High School – Main Campus and I am studying
E​nglish 5: English for Pre-University Students I​ under Ms. Kornellie L. Raquitico.
I am currently conducting a case study entitled “​Prevalence of Sexual Harassment through Social
Media Among Students of Philippine Science High School - Main Campus (PSHS-MC)​” and I
would like to invite you for an interview at the time of your convenience for me to be able to gather data
regarding your take on the nature of sexual harassment among adolescents.
Specifically, I would like to know about the following information:
1.
2.
3.
your personal experience with sexual harassment through social media executed by a fellow
PSHS student;
the effects of these immoral activities on your mental, emotional, and psychosocial well-being;
and
the resulting measures taken by the administration in order to address the harassment that you
have experienced.
I am looking forward to your favorable response. Please contact me through my email at
b20.patricia.caronan@pshs.edu.ph or through my mobile 09178531124 for your response, questions, or
concerns regarding this invitation.
Thank you very much for your time.
Sincerely yours,
Patricia Carmela V. Caronan
Grade 11 Block F Student
Noted by:
Kornellie L. Raquitico
English 5 Teacher
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
58
Appendix F
Letter of Invitation to Victim 3
January 21, 2019
Ms. Aubrey Mae D. Lipa
Student
Philippine Science High School - Main Campus
Agham Road, Diliman,
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Philippines
Dear ​Ms. Lipa​:
Good day!
I am a Grade 11 student from Philippine Science High School – Main Campus and I am studying
E​nglish 5: English for Pre-University Students I​ under Ms. Kornellie L. Raquitico.
I am currently conducting a case study entitled “​Prevalence of Sexual Harassment through Social
Media Among Students of Philippine Science High School - Main Campus (PSHS-MC)​” and I
would like to invite you for an interview at the time of your convenience for me to be able to gather data
regarding your take on the nature of sexual harassment among adolescents.
Specifically, I would like to know about the following information:
1.
2.
3.
your personal experience with sexual harassment through social media executed by a fellow
PSHS student;
the effects of these immoral activities on your mental, emotional, and psychosocial well-being;
and
the resulting measures taken by the administration in order to address the harassment that you
have experienced.
I am looking forward to your favorable response. Please contact me through my email at
b20.patricia.caronan@pshs.edu.ph or through my mobile 09178531124 for your response, questions, or
concerns regarding this invitation.
Thank you very much for your time.
Sincerely yours,
Patricia Carmela V. Caronan
Grade 11 Block F Student
Noted by:
Kornellie L. Raquitico
English 5 Teacher
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
59
Appendix G
Consent Form for Interview with Expert 1
​CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CASE STUDY INTERVIEW/FOCUS GROUP
Case Study Title:​ ​Prevalence of Sexual Harassment through Social Media Among Students of Philippine
Science High School - Main Campus (PSHS-MC)
You have been asked to participate in a case study conducted by Patricia Carmela V. Caronan from Grade 11 Block F
of Philippine Science High School-Main Campus.​ ​The main objective of this study is to determine how the students of
PSHS-MC utilize social media platforms to carry out sexual harassment among fellow students.​ ​You were selected as
a possible participant in this study because of your experience in handling cases regarding sexual harassment through
social media within the school and your active presence in the school community and the lives of its students.
You should read the information below, and ask questions about anything you do not understand, before deciding
whether or not to participate.
▪
This interview is voluntary. You have the right not to answer any question, and to stop the interview at any
time or for any reason.
▪
You will not be compensated for this interview.
▪
Unless you give the researcher permission to use your name, title, and / or quote you in any publications
that may result from this research, the information you give will be confidential.
▪
The researcher would like to record this interview so that s/he can use it for reference while proceeding with
this study. S/he will not record this interview without your permission. If you do grant permission for this
conversation to be recorded, you have the right to revoke recording permission and/or end the interview at
any time.
This project will be completed by May, 2019. All interview recordings will be stored in a secure work space and will not
be used for other purposes outside this present case study.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I understand the procedures described above. My questions have been answered to my satisfaction, and I agree to
participate in this study. I have been given a copy of this form.
(​Please check all that apply)​
[x] I give permission for this interview to be recorded.
[] I give permission for the following information to be included in publications resulting from this study:
[x] My name [x] My title
[x] Direct/indirect quotes from this interview
Name of Informant ______________​___________________​________________________
Signature of Informant ______​____________________​___________ Date ____________
Signature of Researcher ___________
______________Date _________
Please contact the researcher, Patricia Carmela V. Caronan at ​0917 853 1124 ​with any questions or concerns.
If you feel you have been treated unfairly, or you have questions regarding your rights as a research informant, you
may contact the English 5 teacher, Ms. Kornellie L. Raquitico, at 6465025 or send her an email at
klraquitico@pshs.edu.ph.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
60
Appendix H
Consent Form for Interview with Expert 2
​CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CASE STUDY INTERVIEW/FOCUS GROUP
Case Study Title:​ ​Prevalence of Sexual Harassment through Social Media Among Students of Philippine
Science High School - Main Campus (PSHS-MC)
You have been asked to participate in a case study conducted by Patricia Carmela V. Caronan from Grade 11 Block F
of Philippine Science High School-Main Campus.​ ​The main objective of this study is to determine how the students of
PSHS-MC utilize social media platforms to carry out sexual harassment among fellow students.​ ​You were selected as
a possible participant in this study because of your experience in handling cases regarding sexual harassment through
social media within the school and your active presence in the school community and the lives of its students.
You should read the information below, and ask questions about anything you do not understand, before deciding
whether or not to participate.
▪
This interview is voluntary. You have the right not to answer any question, and to stop the interview at any
time or for any reason.
▪
You will not be compensated for this interview.
▪
Unless you give the researcher permission to use your name, title, and / or quote you in any publications
that may result from this research, the information you give will be confidential.
▪
The researcher would like to record this interview so that s/he can use it for reference while proceeding with
this study. S/he will not record this interview without your permission. If you do grant permission for this
conversation to be recorded, you have the right to revoke recording permission and/or end the interview at
any time.
This project will be completed by May, 2019. All interview recordings will be stored in a secure work space and will not
be used for other purposes outside this present case study.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I understand the procedures described above. My questions have been answered to my satisfaction, and I agree to
participate in this study. I have been given a copy of this form.
(​Please check all that apply)​
[x] I give permission for this interview to be recorded.
[] I give permission for the following information to be included in publications resulting from this study:
[] My name [x] My title
[x] Direct/indirect quotes from this interview
Name of Informant ______________​___________________​________________________
Signature of Informant ______​____________________​___________ Date ____________
Signature of Researcher ___________
______________Date _________
Please contact the researcher, Patricia Carmela V. Caronan at ​0917 853 1124 ​with any questions or concerns.
If you feel you have been treated unfairly, or you have questions regarding your rights as a research informant, you
may contact the English 5 teacher, Ms. Kornellie L. Raquitico, at 6465025 or send her an email at
klraquitico@pshs.edu.ph.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
61
Appendix I
Consent Form for Interview with Expert 3
​CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CASE STUDY INTERVIEW/FOCUS GROUP
Case Study Title:​ ​Prevalence of Sexual Harassment through Social Media Among Students of Philippine
Science High School - Main Campus (PSHS-MC)
You have been asked to participate in a case study conducted by Patricia Carmela V. Caronan from Grade 11 Block F
of Philippine Science High School-Main Campus.​ ​The main objective of this study is to determine how the students of
PSHS-MC utilize social media platforms to carry out sexual harassment among fellow students.​ ​You were selected as
a possible participant in this study because of your experience in handling cases regarding sexual harassment through
social media within the school and your active presence in the school community and the lives of its students.
You should read the information below, and ask questions about anything you do not understand, before deciding
whether or not to participate.
▪
This interview is voluntary. You have the right not to answer any question, and to stop the interview at any
time or for any reason.
▪
You will not be compensated for this interview.
▪
Unless you give the researcher permission to use your name, title, and / or quote you in any publications
that may result from this research, the information you give will be confidential.
▪
The researcher would like to record this interview so that s/he can use it for reference while proceeding with
this study. S/he will not record this interview without your permission. If you do grant permission for this
conversation to be recorded, you have the right to revoke recording permission and/or end the interview at
any time.
This project will be completed by May, 2019. All interview recordings will be stored in a secure work space and will not
be used for other purposes outside this present case study.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I understand the procedures described above. My questions have been answered to my satisfaction, and I agree to
participate in this study. I have been given a copy of this form.
(​Please check all that apply)​
[x] I give permission for this interview to be recorded.
[] I give permission for the following information to be included in publications resulting from this study:
[x] My name [] My title
[x] Direct/indirect quotes from this interview
Name of Informant ______________​___________________​________________________
Signature of Informant ______​____________________​___________ Date ____________
Signature of Researcher ___________
______________Date _________
Please contact the researcher, Patricia Carmela V. Caronan at ​0917 853 1124 ​with any questions or concerns.
If you feel you have been treated unfairly, or you have questions regarding your rights as a research informant, you
may contact the English 5 teacher, Ms. Kornellie L. Raquitico, at 6465025 or send her an email at
klraquitico@pshs.edu.ph.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
62
Appendix J
Consent Form for Interview with Victim 1
​CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CASE STUDY INTERVIEW/FOCUS GROUP
Case Study Title:​ ​Prevalence of Sexual Harassment through Social Media Among Students of Philippine
Science High School - Main Campus (PSHS-MC)
You have been asked to participate in a case study conducted by Patricia Carmela V. Caronan from Grade 11 Block F
of Philippine Science High School-Main Campus.​ ​The main objective of this study is to determine how the students of
PSHS-MC utilize social media platforms to carry out sexual harassment among fellow students.​ ​You were selected as
a possible participant in this study because of your experience in handling cases regarding sexual harassment through
social media within the school and your active presence in the school community and the lives of its students.
You should read the information below, and ask questions about anything you do not understand, before deciding
whether or not to participate.
▪
This interview is voluntary. You have the right not to answer any question, and to stop the interview at any
time or for any reason.
▪
You will not be compensated for this interview.
▪
Unless you give the researcher permission to use your name, title, and / or quote you in any publications
that may result from this research, the information you give will be confidential.
▪
The researcher would like to record this interview so that s/he can use it for reference while proceeding with
this study. S/he will not record this interview without your permission. If you do grant permission for this
conversation to be recorded, you have the right to revoke recording permission and/or end the interview at
any time.
This project will be completed by May, 2019. All interview recordings will be stored in a secure work space and will not
be used for other purposes outside this present case study.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I understand the procedures described above. My questions have been answered to my satisfaction, and I agree to
participate in this study. I have been given a copy of this form.
(​Please check all that apply)​
[x] I give permission for this interview to be recorded.
[] I give permission for the following information to be included in publications resulting from this study:
[x] My name [x] My title
[x] Direct/indirect quotes from this interview
Name of Informant ______________​___________________​________________________
Signature of Informant ______​____________________​___________ Date ____________
Signature of Researcher ___________
______________Date _________
Please contact the researcher, Patricia Carmela V. Caronan at ​0917 853 1124 ​with any questions or concerns.
If you feel you have been treated unfairly, or you have questions regarding your rights as a research informant, you
may contact the English 5 teacher, Ms. Kornellie L. Raquitico, at 6465025 or send her an email at
klraquitico@pshs.edu.ph.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
63
Appendix K
Consent Form for Interview with Victim 2
​CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CASE STUDY INTERVIEW/FOCUS GROUP
Case Study Title:​ ​Prevalence of Sexual Harassment through Social Media Among Students of Philippine
Science High School - Main Campus (PSHS-MC)
You have been asked to participate in a case study conducted by Patricia Carmela V. Caronan from Grade 11 Block F
of Philippine Science High School-Main Campus.​ ​The main objective of this study is to determine how the students of
PSHS-MC utilize social media platforms to carry out sexual harassment among fellow students.​ ​You were selected as
a possible participant in this study because of your experience in handling cases regarding sexual harassment through
social media within the school and your active presence in the school community and the lives of its students.
You should read the information below, and ask questions about anything you do not understand, before deciding
whether or not to participate.
▪
This interview is voluntary. You have the right not to answer any question, and to stop the interview at any
time or for any reason.
▪
You will not be compensated for this interview.
▪
Unless you give the researcher permission to use your name, title, and / or quote you in any publications
that may result from this research, the information you give will be confidential.
▪
The researcher would like to record this interview so that s/he can use it for reference while proceeding with
this study. S/he will not record this interview without your permission. If you do grant permission for this
conversation to be recorded, you have the right to revoke recording permission and/or end the interview at
any time.
This project will be completed by May, 2019. All interview recordings will be stored in a secure work space and will not
be used for other purposes outside this present case study.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I understand the procedures described above. My questions have been answered to my satisfaction, and I agree to
participate in this study. I have been given a copy of this form.
(​Please check all that apply)​
[x] I give permission for this interview to be recorded.
[] I give permission for the following information to be included in publications resulting from this study:
[] My name [x] My title
[x] Direct/indirect quotes from this interview
Name of Informant ______________​___________________​________________________
Signature of Informant ______​____________________​___________ Date ____________
Signature of Researcher ___________
______________Date _________
Please contact the researcher, Patricia Carmela V. Caronan at ​0917 853 1124 ​with any questions or concerns.
If you feel you have been treated unfairly, or you have questions regarding your rights as a research informant, you
may contact the English 5 teacher, Ms. Kornellie L. Raquitico, at 6465025 or send her an email at
klraquitico@pshs.edu.ph.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
64
Appendix L
Consent Form for Interview with Victim 3
​CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CASE STUDY INTERVIEW/FOCUS GROUP
Case Study Title:​ ​Prevalence of Sexual Harassment through Social Media Among Students of Philippine
Science High School - Main Campus (PSHS-MC)
You have been asked to participate in a case study conducted by Patricia Carmela V. Caronan from Grade 11 Block F
of Philippine Science High School-Main Campus.​ ​The main objective of this study is to determine how the students of
PSHS-MC utilize social media platforms to carry out sexual harassment among fellow students.​ ​You were selected as
a possible participant in this study because of your experience in handling cases regarding sexual harassment through
social media within the school and your active presence in the school community and the lives of its students.
You should read the information below, and ask questions about anything you do not understand, before deciding
whether or not to participate.
▪
This interview is voluntary. You have the right not to answer any question, and to stop the interview at any
time or for any reason.
▪
You will not be compensated for this interview.
▪
Unless you give the researcher permission to use your name, title, and / or quote you in any publications
that may result from this research, the information you give will be confidential.
▪
The researcher would like to record this interview so that s/he can use it for reference while proceeding with
this study. S/he will not record this interview without your permission. If you do grant permission for this
conversation to be recorded, you have the right to revoke recording permission and/or end the interview at
any time.
This project will be completed by May, 2019. All interview recordings will be stored in a secure work space and will not
be used for other purposes outside this present case study.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I understand the procedures described above. My questions have been answered to my satisfaction, and I agree to
participate in this study. I have been given a copy of this form.
(​Please check all that apply)​
[x] I give permission for this interview to be recorded.
[] I give permission for the following information to be included in publications resulting from this study:
[] My name [x] My title
[x] Direct/indirect quotes from this interview
Name of Informant ______________​___________________​________________________
Signature of Informant ______​____________________​___________ Date ____________
Signature of Researcher ___________
______________Date _________
Please contact the researcher, Patricia Carmela V. Caronan at ​0917 853 1124 ​with any questions or concerns.
If you feel you have been treated unfairly, or you have questions regarding your rights as a research informant, you
may contact the English 5 teacher, Ms. Kornellie L. Raquitico, at 6465025 or send her an email at
klraquitico@pshs.edu.ph.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
65
Appendix M
Interview Guide for Expert 1
Prevalence of Sexual Harassment through Social Media Among Students of Philippine
Science High School - Main Campus (PSHS-MC)
Interviewer: Patricia Carmela V. Caronan
Interviewee: Expert 1
Date Conducted: December 12, 2018
Time Started:
Time Finished:
[Question 1]
Sexual harassment remains to be a prevalent issue in today’s society despite its presence
throughout history. Why do you think that we continue to struggle with such an issue for such
a long time?
[Potential follow-up questions]
What is the biggest contributor to sexual harassment culture?
[Question 2]
It is said that sexual harassment is an evolving practice. Several ways of executing this act
have been adopted in the technological world such as through the use of social media. In your
perspective, how does this affect the act of sexual harassment as a whole?
[Question 3]
Based on numerous studies and statistical reports, the most common victims of sexual
harassment are women and members of the LGBT+ community. On the other hand, the most
common harassers are male individuals. Why do you think this is the circumstance?
[Question 4]
Sexual harassment among adolescents is increasing in the rate of occurrence. Based on some
studies, it has been said that often the reason for sexual harassment in a workplace is the
establishment of power of one individual over another. Is this still the case for adolescents?
[Potential follow-up questions]
In an educational institution that is full of adolescents, such as a high school, what are
the best measures or activities that could be done by the school administration to
address a sexual harassment case among its students?
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
66
Appendix N
Interview Guide for Expert 2
Prevalence of Sexual Harassment through Social Media Among Students of Philippine
Science High School - Main Campus (PSHS-MC)
Interviewer: Patricia Carmela V. Caronan
Interviewee: Expert 2
Date Conducted: January 25, 2019
Time Started:
Time Finished:
[Question 1]
Sexual harassment is a societal and moral issue that has been prevalent for a very long
time in numerous environments, one of which is high schools. The presence of sexual
harassment in PSHS is definitely apparent, as well as the victims resulting from this. How
would you describe the state of sexual harassment, both physically and through social media,
in PSHS?
[Question 2]
According to numerous studies regarding sexual harassment occurring in a workplace,
the establishment of power over another individual is the biggest contributor to why
individuals sexually harass others. What would be the main reasons for a harasser to execute
sexual harassment on its fellow students, especially on social media?
[Question 3]
It is said that anyone could be a victim of sexual harassment. Based on the sexual
harassment cases that have received much attention within the batch, some individuals are
consistent victims in the different cases. Though given that the victims are never at fault,
would you say that there is an observable trend or a common factor among the students that
have been sexually harassed?
[Follow-up]
Is this the same case for victims who have been sexually harassed through social
media?
[Question 4]
You have had much experience dealing with students who have been sexually
harassed. What advice or methods of dealing with the situation do you give these individuals?
[Question 5]
The guidance center has developed and implemented programs and events that tackle
various issues ranging from mental health to bullying. Regarding sexual harassment, there has
been a recent program of one-on-one talks with anyone who has had experience with the issue.
In your opinion, what other and better ways could be implemented in the school in order to
tackle the issue?
[Follow-up]
In your opinion, do you think the administration is doing enough to tackle the issue?
Are they properly tackling the issue?
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
67
Appendix O
Interview Guide for Expert 3
Prevalence of Sexual Harassment through Social Media Among Students of Philippine
Science High School - Main Campus (PSHS-MC)
Interviewer: Patricia Carmela V. Caronan
Interviewee: Expert 3
Date Conducted:
Time Started:
Time Finished:
[Question 1]
Sexual harassment through social media is a prevalent issue in various environments,
one of which is high schools. In Philippine Science High School - Main Campus, how would
you describe the state of such harassment?
[Follow-up]
Is there an estimated number or a trend regarding the amount of such cases?
[Question 2]
What are some examples of acts of sexual harassment through social media that are
highly experienced in the school community?
[Follow-up]
Are there trends regarding these cases such as the social media platforms they occur on
and what features on social media site are often utilized in its execution?
[Question 3]
What is the specific process of investigation for such cases involving sexual
harassment through social media?
[Follow-up]
Are there notable trends here too? Examples: would the victims report the incident
immediately or after a while, or would they report it by themselves or someone else reports for
them?
[Question 4]
What is the specific rule being implemented in the school to address sexual harassment
through social media, and what are some programs or projects that practice this?
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
68
Appendix P
Interview Guide for Victims 1, 2, and 3
Prevalence of Sexual Harassment through Social Media Among Students of Philippine
Science High School - Main Campus (PSHS-MC)
Interviewer: Patricia Carmela V. Caronan
Interviewee: Victim #x
Date Conducted: ​January 21, 2019, January 23, 2019, January 24, 2019
Time Started:
Time Finished:
[Question 1]
Sexual harassment is an issue that is present in various environments. Its presence in
secondary high schools is currently increasing, especially through social media. In PSHS, there
are numerous cases regarding this issue and the subjects for this study were chosen based on
their victimization in a social media-based sexual harassment case executed by a student.
Would it be alright if you could share your personal experience with sexual harassment
through social media?
[Question 2]
Sexual harassment leaves a negative impact on the well-being of the victim. According
to studies, there are numerous effects concerning various aspects that a person experiences
upon being victimized by sexual harassment. How did your experience with harassment
personally affect you socially and emotionally?
[Follow-up Question]
What coping mechanisms did you do upon the occurrence of the harassment?
Did you ask for help?
[Question 3]
The case that you are involved in is known to have reached the attention of the
Discipline Office. Can you talk about the resulting precautions or measures taken by the
administration to address the victimization you have experienced?
[Follow-up Question]
How did you feel about the manner the administration tackled the situation?
Were you given a sense of satisfaction or safety upon the involvement of the
Discipline Office?
If not, how do you think their resulting measure taken could have been better?
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
69
Appendix Q
Expanded Field Notes from Interview with Expert 1
Archival No.: 1
Site:
Skype - online video call
Data Collector:
Patricia Carmela V. Caronan
Typist:
Patricia Carmela V. Caronan
Date:
December 12, 2018
Start:
10:46 P.M.
End:
11:21 P.M.
Summary of Discussion
The interviewee is a member of the White Ribbon which is an organization
based in Toronto, Canada that aims to aid the campaign of preventing violence against
women. He has been working with White Ribbon for seven months and has been doing
similar work prior to this in Bolivia. At the beginning of the interview, he clarified that
his perspective and thoughts are majorly influenced by the occurrences of North
America and South America.
According to Expert 1, the main reason for the prevalence of sexual harassment
is the lack of conversation regarding the issue. Deemed as a stigmatized concept,
sexual harassment has always been viewed as taboo thus inhibiting the development of
a language that would properly represent the issue. It is a topic that is often
uncomfortable for discussion for both the victim and the receiver of their statements
since it involves accepting the realization that such acts are truly prevalent. The lack of
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
70
conversation is so immense that individuals around the world are often unaware of the
magnitude of the problem. Nonetheless, there has already been much progress in
tackling the issue. An example of which would be the inclusion of the film industry of
sexual harassment in their created media, which resulted in the sexually harassed
victims who relate to these media to have a voice or means of representation in society.
However, despite the evident big steps taken in order to increase the attention given to
sexual harassment, there is still a long way to go to allow the best possible means of
tackling the issue to be observed.
The development of social media definitely allows a new generation of sexual
harassment to be apparent. This new generation involves the use of social media
applications and software for stalking, sending of pornographic images, human
trafficking, and many other lascivious acts to be accessible to any individual. It allows
sexual harassment to concern not only what an individual does in person, but also their
presence online and their activities towards others. The internet allows much freedom
to be given to individuals resulting in the lack of repercussions in whatever is said or
done on the internet. The interviewee states that numerous school boards would often
come in contact with White Ribbon due to them being unsure regarding the proper
measures to be taken for sexual harassment cases done through social media. An
example of which would be the use of dating applications which has a method of use
only known to their users. Educators often find themselves in unfamiliar positions
given that their generation often varies with the generation of their students thus the
use of technological devices is sometimes foreign to teachers.
A huge portion of the population of sexual harassers are known to be males.
There are numerous factors that contribute to the cause of this but one of the main
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
71
reasons would be the presence of “toxic masculinity” or “bro culture”. These concepts
are very crucial in the perpetuation of sexual harassment since they allow male
individuals to view sexual harassment as a valid or normal social act. A massive part of
the masculinity that is standardized in society involves hypersexuality, which then
causes most men to believe that they must have an overly enthusiastic perspective
towards sex. This allows the presence of a double standard that the only sexually
harassing acts that should be deemed unacceptable are those of men’s. Moreover, this
also affects the attention given to the male victims of sexual harassment since they are
taught to enjoy sexual acts regardless of the lack of consent in doing so.
Sexual harassment taking place in a workplace could easily be kept private by
the concerned companies in order to avoid any attention from the media. This is also
the case in high schools. Administrations often hide the sexual harassment cases that
occur in the school community as an act of protection for the reputation of the school.
An incident of sexual harassment is one that calls much attention from the media thus
most institutions choose to avoid facing these issues.
To tackle sexual harassment in a high school, an administration must work with
the concerned students, both the survivors and the victims, especially since they are
handling underaged individuals. They must check the resources available and find
ways in order to aid the survivors. For perpetrators on the other hand, they must show
that the issue is being addressed thoroughly and enhance their code of conduct. The
aspect of preventing sexual harassment should also be addressed and could be done
through programs that educate regarding healthy relationships, sexuality, sex, and
consent. However, much caution should be given in addressing these topics given that
they tackle sensitive topics, which adds to the proof that there is a lack of conversation
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
72
regarding sexual harassment. Numerous concerns arise regarding the implementation
of such programs given factors such as the conservatism of a community, may it be a
nation or a family. Sexual harassment in a community is a very complex issue given
that this concerns all individuals part of the community with everyone being informed
and educated.
Interpretation/Personal Comments
Most of the problems that concern the lack of conversation on sexual
harassment is that it is unfamiliar to most individuals. Human beings have the tendency
to remain in the situations that they find comfortable. Sexual harassment is a common
act all over the world, but is not common enough to develop a proper discussion about
it. Nonetheless, this does not excuse the immorality of the act and the lack of measures
given to address this. In terms of the Philippines, I believe that there is increasing
awareness regarding sexual harassment. When cases of rape and molestation are
reported by the media, numerous individuals would often speak out and express their
disgust for sexually violent acts. However, many others still remain ignorant of the
issues and the magnitude of the effects of these issues.
It is true that much progress has been made to address sexual harassment, but
there is so much more to do. It seems that there needs to be more means of education
regarding what should be considered acts of sexual harassment. The prevention of
sexual harassment could not be completely done if individuals are unaware of what
acts are sexually harassing.
Social media plays a vital role in the perpetuation of sexual harassment. Given
that it has only increased popularity in the technological age, there are numerous
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
73
individuals who would find the use of such confusing and would give online sexual
harassers an advantage. There is already difficulty in addressing sexual harassment
done through physical contact, thus sexual harassment through social media could be
deemed more complicated. There are numerous loopholes for activities done through
social media which heavily contributes to its prevalence.
Sexual harassers should be given the responsibility for their immoral acts, but it
seems that oftentimes the development of their mindset to commit such acts is not their
fault. Just like in the lack of conversation regarding sexual harassment, I think that the
development of a mindset that tolerates sexual harassment has the same root: the
standards set by society. These standards have been considered the norm, like in the
interview, the hypersexuality of males. The sometimes ineffective acts of preventing
sexual harassment could be traced back to the inability to break free from these
standards. A change should be apparent in the mindsets and the actions of individuals
regarding harassment should be developed.
Sexual harassment in various environments are relatively the same.
Adolescents in a high school have the same means of executing sexually violent acts as
adults in a workplace. The institutions that hold these individuals also do not differ too
much given that they often ensure that sexual harassment cases occurring in their
domain are avoided. In a school setting, the administration must be responsible for its
students from their actions to the effects that they bring to the victims. Sexual
harassment in high schools is a real phenomenon and the children in the school
community should be educated regarding the issue, despite the sensitivity of the topic.
An observable change in a community in their view towards sexual harassment is a
huge initial step in order to combat the issue.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
74
Questions for Follow-up
1. Limit the scope of sexual harassment by putting emphasis on sexual harassment
through social media, especially the methods of prevention and reasons for doing
so.
2. Determine the similarities and differences of sexual harassment culture in the
western areas and in the Philippines.
3. Try and observe a high school institution that has an active program against sexual
harassment and determine the effectivity of these, if possible.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
75
Appendix R
Expanded Field Notes from Interview with Expert 2
Archival No.: 2
Site:
Philippine Science High School - Main Campus Guidance
Center
Data Collector:
Patricia Carmela V. Caronan
Typist:
Patricia Carmela V. Caronan
Date:
January 25, 2019
Start:
10:32 A.M.
End:
11:12 A.M.
Summary of Discussion
The interviewee is a guidance counselor from Philippine Science High School Main Campus (PSHS-MC). Each year level in Pisay is assigned a guidance counselor
who will handle the students in this batch for the duration of their stay in the
PSHS-MC campus, and she is the one assigned to the current Grade 11 students, also
called “Batch 2020”. She has been in this position for five years and has been working
in the PSHS-MC campus for six years.
According to the interviewee, the PSHS-MC community is “not immune” to
the occurrence of sexual harassment. Since the student population present in the school
is comprised of adolescents, they are at a higher risk due to the numerous changes that
are being experienced in this period of time. One of which is the change in the level of
sexual desire wherein at these ages, it is normal for it to increase. Nonetheless, it
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
76
should not be neglected that this issue is also apparent in many other high schools and
not solely in the PSHS community.
On a personal note, the interviewee states that she accepts that this issue is
occurring within the PSHS community. She also states that a positive outlook is
present within the community when faced with the issue given that there is no
intentional attitude to isolate both the students who are harassers and who have been
victimize. There is a peaceful and understanding outlook exhibited wherein there is
more focus given to aiding the concerned parties in the issues rather than executing
punishments or exhibiting tolerance. Nonetheless, the appropriate disciplinary actions
are still executed to properly address the misbehavior of the student perpetrator.
In terms of social media, sexual harassment is also prevalent but there are
numerous differences than the events of these in person. Some of the differences
include the possibility of having altered profiles shown to the public or the application
of anonymity in social media content. Another would be that sexual harassment
through social often offers a limited amount of help. Because of these differences,
harassers may find social media as an easier and more accessible outlet for such acts.
The PSHS-MC system indicates that the methods of addressing these types of
issues involve the participation of both the Discipline Office and the Guidance Center.
The Discipline Office leads in the investigation of the existing sexual harassment
cases, as well as the formulation of retributions or policies that would be suitable for
the issue. Within this process, the Guidance Office is then linked through the
endorsement of the Discipline Office to the victims that they may seek help or counsel
due to the straining or stressful circumstances that surround being involved in this type
of case, if they need it.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
77
The interviewee thoroughly explained the importance of letting the concerned
individuals implement their own methods of coping, thus ensuring that they are not
forced to seek for help if they refuse to do so. Despite being recommended by the
Discipline Office to talk to one of the counselors in the school or an actual
professional, these are not strictly implemented. In the case of the Guidance Center,
they play a significant role in encouraging and ensuring that their presence be felt by
the victims and even the harassers.
One of the main causes of sexual harassment is the implementation of power of
one individual over another. In the case of a school setting, it is truly possible for
power dynamics to have a role in its prevalence. Popularity, social classes, and degree
of capabilities play a major role in the power dynamics present in a secondary school
allowing individuals to be more vulnerable in the personal perspective of other
individuals. Nonetheless, it is simply a contributor for sexual harassment and not an
immediate or automatic cause. Other factors may include the victimization of the
perpetrators themselves in the past. These traumatic events that they have experienced
may then result in the perspective that such immoral behavior is normal thus allowing
this to be apparent in their demeanor towards other people. This lack of attention
gravely contributes to sexual harassment since harassers tend to seek for means to get
noticed regardless of the methods in doing so. The lack of self-evaluation results from
the young age of the perpetrator, as well as the lack of guidance from primary
caregivers such as parents.
Sexual harassment does not choose its victims. In the case brought focus on for
this research study, the victims are consistent despite the different time frames of the
occurences. According to Expert 2, this has nothing to do with the victims, but rather
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
78
the harasser. Since the perpetrator is the same person for the entire duration of the case,
it resulted in the unchanging victims. There is no specific trend for the victimization of
sexual harassments and it simply roots to the lack of respect of one individual to
others. Nonetheless, there would be times when the harassers are individuals who have
a close relationship with the victims. Because of this, the victims may find it difficult
to exit or even detect the toxicity or abuse brought by this relationship due to the bond
and intimacy that has been developed. The sense of trust that has been placed over the
individual results in the denial that immoral acts could spring from the person.
In the case of social media, the content found in these sites are easily accessible
by anyone with access to the internet. Expert 2 states that the interpretation of the
harasser to this content is a greater contributor to the prevalence of such acts rather
than the actual posts of a user. Nonetheless, the posts of a user may also be a
contributor to their victimization depending on the manner that they project
themselves. Certain users may be more open or more prone to sharing the occurrences
of their lives to the general public thus allowing harassers with more content to
successfully execute harassment. Furthermore, the posts of a user may give insight to
the character or personality of an individual which could then also be utilized by
harassers. The interviewee states that it should be remembered that the victims are not
at fault for the immoral acts of other individuals. There are simply ways to protect
oneself from sexual harassers by limiting their social media demographic or
controlling their content.
There are currently existing programs in the PSHS-MC community that focus
on sexual harassment among students. Nonetheless, there is a long way to go to better
these. A major point that must be given focus is the education regarding the varying
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
79
actions that would be deemed socially accessible by various individuals in a
population. In an institution such as PSHS-MC, academics are given much attention
but there is a lack of attention given to education regarding values and principles. This
type of information should be actively introduced and talked about in the community,
as well as conversations about respect given towards one another. Beginning the
conversation is beneficial for each person in the community, especially the victims
since this would aid in the elimination of their fear to talk about their experiences and
add support as they recall the incident. This would help them find the courage to report
these immoral acts to the school board and extendedly help in the prevention of more
cases. Other activities to tackle sexual harassment include having forums or
instructions that would give students informed platforms to have a conversation about
the issue.
There is much progress in the current methods of handling sexual harassment in
the school. More attention and priority is now given to the issue compared to before
allowing the programs regarding this to be handled by both the administration and the
Guidance Center.
Interpretation/Personal Comments
The state of sexual harassment in the PSHS-MC community is no different
from other institutions. This is due to the overall lack of conversation regarding sexual
harassment as a social issue. Nonetheless, it could be concluded that since this issue is
prevalent in a population as young as those in a secondary school, it should be tackled
as early as possible. Moreover, the adolescent stage is very critical in the development
of individuals thus there should be constant informed discussions regarding good
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
80
values and morally acceptable behavior. The importance of parental figures or simply
the presence of proper role models also play a huge role in the prevalence of sexual
harassment since at the root of it all, sexual harassment is simply an act cause by the
misdirection of a moral compass.
The relationship between victim and harasser is quite simple but also
complicated in the sense that it is never the fault of the victim, but also not always the
fault of the harasser.Sexual harassers are also victims. I also believe that a mindset that
results in unethical acts is developed rather than innate. The environment and
upbringing of these individuals are heavy contributors to sexual harassment since the
wrong circumstances would allow wrong acts to be normalized. Nonetheless,
exhibiting proper behavior is still the decision of the harasser. Despite the lack of
control of their background, sexual harassers make conscious choices and actions. The
factors that contribute to the cause of this sexual harassment, such as the lack of
attention and respect, are mostly controllable and could be addressed in many other
ways.
Sexual harassment in PSHS-MC is a prevalent issue within the student body.
This is proven by the increased attention given to this by the administration. There is a
need for informed and active conversations regarding the issue in order for the students
to be educated and the issue to be eradicated. Nonetheless, this would be a truly
strenuous and difficult task. I also realized that the complexity of sexual harassment
roots from the fact that it is connected to many other social issues such as bullying and
abuse of power. The good thing is that the presence of this issue within the school
community is being acknowledged. This then results in the formulation of various
programs and policies, which may be long overdue.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
81
Upon previous conversations with the interviewee, I also concluded that she
was right in saying that the administration should also develop programs that take care
of the mental, emotional, and behavioral well-being of its students. The current
curriculum of the PSHS System involves teaching Values Education until the eighth
grade. In the eighth grade, the students are 13 to 14 years old. The concept of sexual
harassment may be unknown to these individuals. The ages 15 to 18 are ages that truly
expose adolescents to pressing social issues such as sexual harassment which then calls
for the need of values programs more than ever. I believe that it is a misconception that
morality is innate. It is true that households or primary adult figures such as parents
should be in charge of the upbringing of children, but a school also contributes to this
upbringing and should also be held responsible if a student in their community is a
perpetrator of sexual harassment.
Questions for Follow-up
1. Determine the specifics of the current policies that are being developed in the
PSHS-MC community.
2. Gather the opinion of individuals in the student body, both victims and
non-victims, about the state of sexual harassment in the school.
3. Try and observe a high school institution that has an active program against sexual
harassment and determine the effectivity of these, if possible.
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Appendix S
Expanded Field Notes for Interview with Victim 1
Archival No.: 3
Site:
Philippine Science High School - Main Campus Guidance
Center
Data Collector:
Patricia Carmela V. Caronan
Typist:
Patricia Carmela V. Caronan
Date:
January 21, 2019
Start:
12:20 P.M.
End:
12:38 P.M.
Summary of Discussion
The interviewee is a current 11th grade student from Philippine Science High
School - Main Campus. She was chosen as a subject for this case study because of her
involvement as a victim in one of the sexual harassment cases in PSHS-MC. Her
harasser is the same harasser as those of the other subjects. She agreed to sharing her
experiences with both sexual harassment in person and through social media.
The interviewee was a new student in the school in the eighth grade and had
absolutely no contact with the harasser for the duration of the school year. However,
she mentioned being knowledgeable about the peculiar reputation of this individual
regarding his actions towards girls, and even talked about receiving words of warnings
from fellow girls from the student body to avoid this individual. The sexual harassment
done by this specific harasser began in the ninth grade of the year 2016 to 2017 when
they were classmates. She would notice the individual approaching and bonding with
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the girls from the class without any invitation. Other than this, the harasser could also
be seen following some of these girls, but this did not cause much concern for her
since she perceived it as “normal teenage boy behavior”. However, a cause for alarm
dawned on her during one incident when a female classmate of hers wore a dress with
a low neckline for one of the school projects. The girls would jokingly tease this
female regarding the outfit and the harasser would join or force his way into the
conversation. He even attempted to trace out the outline of the neckline on the girl’s
body, which would mean physical contact with the neck and chest area of this female.
This even caused Victim 1 to take action and slap the hand of the harasser.
Later that year, there were more instances of sexual harassment directly
experienced by the interviewee This occurred at the same time that she had an
argument with her friend thus was usually going about the school by herself. During
this period, the harasser would follow her around and attempt to attach himself to her
more than before. Other instances include being sexually aroused by normal actions
done by Victim 1 such as massaging her knee during a period of Physical Education
class.
In terms of social media, she was also receiving messages from anonymous
accounts during this same period of time. She would receive numerous inappropriate
messages that asked her lewd questions and simply talked about lecherous topics. The
messages were relatively easy to ignore until the anonymous account sent her a picture
which focused on the lower portion of her body from a time when she wore fitted
clothing to school. This resulted in a sense of terror for Victim 1 which then made her
block the account. However, this did not stop her harasser since two or three other
accounts began to message her from this point. Nonetheless, having the sexual
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harassment only occur through social media allowed the interviewee to have a sense of
protection since she could not be harmed physically. The messages continued until
around the second quarter of tenth grade after blocking all of the accounts.
This experience resulted in Victim 1 having a constant feeling of fear. There
was also a feeling of embarrassment that she was sexually harassed. Neither of her
parents are knowledgeable about her experience. When there was a conversation about
sexual harassment in tenth grade among her peers, this allowed the interviewee to
share her experience with sexual harassment and reach the realization that she was not
alone and that this occurrence was quite normal in the school environment. She was
not called by the Discipline Office or she did not report her case despite having her
experience be more severe compared to others according to the individuals she talked
to. The interviewee mentioned that she found it difficult to trust adults with this type of
information because of incidents in her past wherein she was a victim of child
molestation but her mother did not believe her. Other than this, she also had the
perspective that even if she were to file the case, this may not have an impact in how
she felt towards the case or simply the state of sexual harassment in the school. The
concept of “victim-shaming” is a recurrent theme in her perspective which caused her
to be hesitant in taking action to better her situation.
There were notable differences in the behavior and lifestyle of Victim 1 upon
the occurrence of the harassment. She became more cautious about her clothing and
opted for looser clothing instead of pieces that would fit her just right. She also wore
extra pieces of clothing such as jackets in order to cover up more. Other than this, her
interaction and outlook with other people had a stronger sense of caution especially
when there would be physical contact involved, especially from males she has no
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
85
strong relationship with. This behavior is mostly directed to males since she has not
experienced sexual harassment occurring from females. In terms of emotional
well-being, she states that there is a strong feeling of fear especially when it comes to
anonymous messages or simply filtered messages since there is no guarantee on what
the content will be. There was also a point prior to this that made her mental health
illnesses, General Anxiety Disorder and Clinical Depression, to worsen.
In order to cope with this, she tried to keep her distance from males unless
needed for professional reasons. Her perspective on males, even family members,
changed and had more doubt in its roots. Regarding her mental illnesses, she visited
the psychiatrist but took no medication. She did not talk to her psychiatrist about her
experience with sexual harassment since Victim 1 did not consider the experience as a
life-changing or completely traumatizing experience, mostly due to the fact that she
has already experienced a similar issue in her past.
Regarding the programs of the school regarding sexual harassment, she has the
overall feeling of gladness that people are becoming more aware of its presence in the
school, but this does not eliminate the stigma around this. The conversation may be
present, but the perspective that sexual harassment is an embarrassing life experience
makes it much more difficult to talk about despite the progress. The interviewee feels
that punishment should be given to the harassers because there are certain immoral and
illegal acts, according to the handbook, that are being done by the students but are not
being given the proper sanctions. She also mentioned that the Guidance Center could
be more active and approach the victims for reassurance that sexual harassment is not
an issue to be embarrassed about. Despite the factor that it is difficult to open up to
someone without establishing a strong bond, especially concerning a topic as sensitive
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
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as sexual harassment, it would be alright to be reassured by someone familiar or
someone who is known to be an expert in these situations.
Interpretation/Personal Comments
The experiences of sexual harassment vary among every individual.
Nonetheless, it could be concluded that this experience is usually a long-term. It is a
progressive experience and the students of PSHS-MC are aware of the possibility that
this may occur to them.
From the interview, it could be concluded that the harasser being talked about
chooses its victims based on his personal relationship and frequency of interaction with
them. Excerpts from the interview reveal that ever since the beginning of high school,
he already exhibited behavior that showed his tendency to be a sexual harasser. The
fact that his immoral acts have been prolonged and were executed for such a long
period of time shows the lack of attention or assessment given to these by both himself
and his guiding adult figures. Nonetheless, it could also be assumed that this act was a
call for attention or simply actions that, in his perspective, would not be heavy or
impactful to his victims. Nonetheless, a strategy could be taken from an analysis of the
interview wherein the period of isolation from the interviewee’s friends was used as an
advantage by the harasser to execute the sexual harassment. Sexual harassment through
social media is usually coined to be advantageous for the harasser, but it could also be
advantageous for the victims given that it would be very easy to simply “block” the
accounts of these harassers and could be easier to ignore.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
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In the case of the victims, no one deserves to be treated in such a disrespectful
and immoral manner. From the interview, there is an impact in the lifestyle and the
behavior of the victims, especially concerning their interaction with other people.
There is also a prevalent feeling of fear due to various reasons other than the sexual
harassment itself. The reaction from their peers, adults, or society as a whole is a
recurring thought that they must deal with. It is right to say that despite the knowledge
that sexual harassment is an immoral act, this does not eliminate the taboo or prejudice
brought by this.
In a school setting where sexual harassment occurs, the administration must do
extra work to ensure the safety and comfort of its students. In the case of the
interviewee, she was not called on by the Discipline Office to say her testimony
regarding her experience with sexual harassment. It is understandable that in the case
of discipline, not all of the cases would be required to be given attention to if the
motive is simply to determine the innocence or rightful punishment of a harasser.
Nonetheless, this does not excuse the mental and emotional turmoil that the victims
must have gone through, both those who have reported their experience and those who
did not.
Based on an interview with the school guidance counselor, she mentioned that
they cannot force the students to approach them and talk about their feelings. This is
true. However, I also believe that the victimized students should be given more
attention and have direct access for communication with the Guidance Center. There is
a difference between opening about a traumatic experience and simply having the
knowledge that an adult with authority from the school community is understanding of
the situation that the victims are in. There is less need for the grand programs that
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
88
tackle sexual harassment, but simply programs that focus on the victims and the
harassers given that they may be holding thoughts and emotions that have not been
addressed properly.
There is a difference in the perspective of students and teachers regarding the
state of sexual harassment in the school. Teachers or adults believe that the
conversation regarding this issue should begin, whereas certain student groups already
have an active conversation about it but are restricted due to their lack of power and
resources in a community. One of the objectives of this study is to determine the state
of sexual harassment through social media in PSHS-MC in order to more efficiently
improve its eradication. From the data I have been gathering, I can say that we are on
the way to achieve such goals.
Questions for Follow-up
1. What specific programs or methods of support could the use do in order to
tackled sexual harassment?
2. What is your perspective on sexual harassment in the PSHS-MC community?
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Appendix T
Expanded Field Notes from Interview with Victim 2
Archival No.: 4
Site:
Philippine Science High School - Main Campus Guidance
Center
Data Collector:
Patricia Carmela V. Caronan
Typist:
Patricia Carmela V. Caronan
Date:
January 23, 2019
Start:
4:23 P.M.
End:
4:53 P.M.
Summary of Discussion
The interviewee is a current 11th grade student from Philippine Science High
School - Main Campus. She was chosen as a subject for this case study because of her
involvement as a victim in one of the sexual harassment cases in PSHS-MC. Her
harasser is the same harasser as those of the other subjects. She agreed to sharing her
experiences with both sexual harassment in person and through social media.
The interviewee’s encounter with sexual harassment through social media
began in 9th grade or during the year 2016. She was approached by a group of girls
who informed her of the news that some of her pictures were posted online with sexual
intent. Nonetheless, these pictures were of no sexual nature whatsoever and were even
posted online by her mother. With this, she and the group of other involved girls
reported this to the Discipline Office. The anonymous account that posted the pictures
was then reported and was deactivated, but then another anonymous account was made
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
90
with the same lascivious intentions. Furthermore, a few months subsequent to this,
another sexual harassment through social media case surfaced concerning her friend
close friend. This was “the most serious” according to the interviewee given that a
video of her friend was unknowingly put on a porn site. This was once again reported
to the Discipline Office.
Though the two cases were different, there was a common denominator for the
two: there was no immediate action taken. Upon reporting the incident to the
Discipline Office, the victimized students were asked to fill up the paperwork in order
to properly file the case. After this, there were not much updates or any form of
communication from the Discipline Office until another account resurfaced. From this,
the parents of the interviewee decided to get involved in the case and contact the NBI
in order to determine the owner of the account. Sadly, same as the response of the
school, the employee there mentioned that it would take much time to execute the task.
However, regarding the case with the video on the porn site, she mentioned that
the parents of the suspected harasser were called in and were asked to talk about the
case, as well as investigate the CCTV footage that was found. Nonetheless, the parents
strongly disagreed and denied that it was their son in the video thus allowing the
suspected harasser to be unharmed and receive no punishment. Currently, the harasser
is no longer in the school premises due to expulsion, but she still does not know the
real reason because of the suspect’s involvement in many other cases other than the
ones concerning sexual harassment.
Several emotions and effects to the lifestyle were experienced by the
interviewee from the experience. She mentioned feeling infuriated upon the knowledge
that a fellow student or member of the PSHS community would be capable of doing
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
91
such an immoral thing. However, afterwards, she mentioned having feelings of shame
and discomfort, specifically regarding her appearance. One of the notable changes in
her lifestyle would be the consciousness felt when wearing tight-fitting clothes. Other
than this, she also mentioned finding it difficult to tell her parents about the incident
because she knew that her parents would get very mad and upset. She also mentioned
that she found it terrifying given that there was always the possibility that she might
get blamed for what happened to her. Nonetheless, her mother discovered the news
from a fellow parent.
The effects of being victimized by sexual harassment goes beyond the victim
and affects even the family members or loved ones of the victim. In the case of the
interviewee, her parents were very affected and she mentioned that when they heard of
the news that her harasser was expelled from school, she and her mother just sat down
and cried together from relief. She also mentioned that for a period of time, her mother
was very upset that she could not do anything to protect her, and even her close friend
who was a fellow victim. This friend was a close friend from the beginning of the
interviewee’s first year in PSHS and has grown to be known and loved by the family.
From what happened to her friend and with the period that the harasser was still
walking around campus, the mother was really affected that she could not protect her
child or her child’s friend.
The interviewee mentioned having a strong support system during the prime of
the case. She and the other victimized girls formed a group chat wherein they would
update each other regarding the case and the harasser. This gave the interviewee a
sense of comfort. Other than this, her friends were very supportive. She mentioned that
this was her first time being involved in such an emotionally-scarring event and she
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92
was very glad to have her friends to be with her during this period, as well as the
tremendous relief she felt when her parents found out. However, there were a few
lingering feelings of disappointment directed to the school administration given that
they were not able to properly protect their students and that there was a long period of
time before the case could be resolved. The victims of the case were also not given
assurance or any form of support from the school. The interviewee also mentioned
never being called to the guidance to talk about the event, which she believe could
have helped. She also mentioned how only the girls who reported the incident were
asked to give their testimonies and because of this, she would wonder about the other
individuals who have experience similar or even worse cases. The administration
believes that the administration could have done so much more to ensure the
well-being of its students. Other than resolving the case, they should also give focus to
the effects that such an event could give to the victims.
Interpretation/Personal Comments
From the interview, it could be said that there was much information regarding
how the school handles the existing cases regarding sexual harassment.
This was my first time having an interview with an individual who was full of
emotion. Listening to her story, I almost felt like crying myself. It was quite difficult to
keep a straight face given that I could feel her pain, as well as the mother’s and her
friends’. I believe that other than gathering data for the case, I was also able to learn to
be a better researched. I was able to apply the lessons we learned in the First Quarter
regarding empathizing and ensuring that the comfort and rights of the interviewee are
being followed. It was an insightful experience, and it made me more passionate about
the case study I am conducting.
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Questions for Follow-up
1. What is your perspective on sexual harassment in the PSHS-MC community?
2. Would you be willing to participate in school-organized events that tackle
sexual harassment?
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Appendix U
Expanded Field Notes from Interview with Victim 3
Archival No.: 5
Site:
Philippine Science High School - Main Campus Guidance
Center
Data Collector:
Patricia Carmela V. Caronan
Typist:
Patricia Carmela V. Caronan
Date:
January 24, 2019
Start:
4:14 P.M.
End:
5:03 P.M.
Summary of Discussion
The interviewee is a current 11th grade student from Philippine Science High
School - Main Campus. She was chosen as a subject for this case study because of her
involvement as a victim in one of the sexual harassment cases in PSHS-MC. Her
harasser is the same harasser as those of the other chosen subjects. She agreed to
sharing her experiences with both sexual harassment in person and through social
media.
The interviewee recalls that her first experience with sexual harassment through
social media occurred in grade 9 when she received anonymous messages through
Facebook. These messages consisted of inappropriate texts and sexualized pictures of
her batch mates. However, the interviewee was not the only victim of such harassment.
The other girls who were virtually harassed reported the incident, but the interviewee
was not part of this which resulted in her lack of up to date information regarding the
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
95
issue. However, on a day in the summer of grade 10, she was bombarded by text
messages and calls from her friends informing her that she had a video on a porn site.
This was confirmed to be posted by a fellow PSHS-MC student given that the content
of the video was the bottom view of the interviewee, or informally an “upskirt” video,
during a time she was wearing the school uniform. The caption of the video on the
porn site not only showed the school uniform, but also the face and the name of the
interviewee. Other than this, she mentioned finding five albums of sexualized pictures
of five different PSHS students, including her, posted on the porn site. The incident
was reported individual from a different PSHS campus. However, despite being
reported, the case did not move forward due to the lack of evidence against the alleged
harasser. It was after six months that the harasser admitted to his mother that he did do
the task, which resulted in his eventual expulsion.
For both occurrences, the interviewee did not report the incidents to the
Discipline Office. During the first incident, she mentioned that this was due to her
thinking that the immoral acts were only being directed to her. Other than that, she
mentioned having a feeling of disbelief that a fellow scholar could do such an act. She
went to the school guidance counselor and showed her the messages, but did not
expound on this. During the second time, she was called on by the Discipline Office
directly to inform her about the incident. The interviewee recalls that this was the first
time she was called to the Discipline Office, which left her with a scared and nervous
feeling. When they informed her, she was confused given that she knew that she did
not take part in any activities with sexual nature. When she saw the video, it left her in
disbelief since her reputation was at stake, something she worked very hard to build.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA & ADOLESCENTS
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The involvement of the Discipline Office in the investigation of the case did
not go smoothly. The interviewee recalled that there were two phases of the
investigation. During the first phase, it was not proven that the suspect was the culprit
due to a lack of evidence. This was due to the lack of facilities present in the
Philippines, even if the NBI was involved in the investigation. Nonetheless, the Board
of Trustees decided to change the educator in charge of the case to an educator who
had no previous involvement in such cases in order to ensure an unbiased judgement.
They assigned the grade 7 adviser of the interviewee, who was shocked at the presence
of such events in the community. This chosen educator then led the second
investigation.
Following the incident, several changes occured in the life of the subject. She
mentioned having to undergo changes in her behavior and lifestyle. She described her
experience as “traumatizing” which resulted in her becoming more cautious with her
actions and manner of physical appearance. She became more conscious in doing little
activities, such as sitting down, if it would give any possible sexual predators to
execute immoral acts. Another example of which would be the change in her schedule
for the current school year by the teacher who handled the sectioning of students. She
was originally put in the schedule for having afternoon Science classes, but was
changed to having them in the morning in order to avoid contact with her harasser.
This gave the interview an upheaval of her original plans for the school year such as
group mates in Research class, which had a big impact in the performance of the
student. Despite understanding why the administration executed the change, it did not
change the fact that the subject went through a magnanimous adjustment. Other than
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97
this, given that the incident occurred during the summer, there was also the possibility
that her grandmother would not allow her to commute to her summer internship.
Other than the behavioral changes, there were several emotional changes
brought by the incident. One of which was the negative impact to the relationship with
her parents during the beginning of the second case. The subject mentioned already
having feelings of shame regarding the incident because “if you mention porn, the first
thing they would think of is that you did a bad thing,” and this was added by the lack
of trust by her parents during the start of the investigation. Nonetheless, the Discipline
Office contacted her parents, who were OFWs, and simply said that the interviewee
has a video in PornHub leaving not much opportunity for the interviewee to explain.
Furthermore, despite the change in schedule, this did not make the subject feel safe.
The lack of safety was accompanied by the feeling of awkwardness given that she was
knowledgeable that other students were aware of the case. The interview said that the
experience as a whole left her broken, and even if she would want to move on, she still
had to undergo the investigation that made her rekindle those negative feelings. She
also had an inescapable feeling of guilt throughout the entire experience from when it
occurred up to the investigation. She recalled a period wherein she blamed herself for
what happened to her saying she would constantly “Why did I sit like this?”
Furthermore, she described herself being raised to be independent and she made sure
to live up to this, and the experience which called the attention of her entire family just
made her feel as though she “disturbed and interrupted” them. She recalled that her
parents had to go back home to the Philippines because of the case, and her
grandmother had to attend all of the seminars despite her old age. She said it was all
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just very emotionally draining because other than thinking of school requirements, she
then had to think of the case and the state of her family.
In terms of her perspective on her harasser, she felt compassionate towards him
despite the immoral acts done to her. She said that it wasn’t entirely his fault and his
upbringing was a major contributor to his actions. She was also concerned when he got
expelled given that he no longer had a school and that his reputation tarnished. She
also mentioned that her harasser was one one of her friends and what made the
experience more painful is because it also meant losing a friend.
Luckily, despite of all the negative occurrences, the interviewee had a solid
support system from her friends and fellow students, especially her fellow victims. She
would receive words of encouragement saying that she will get through this. Other
than this, the teachers were very supportive about the incident and the idea of them
working to resolve the case comforted her. The constant mental support was what
allowed her to overcome the challenges brought by the experience, and eventually
have a positive outlook embedded with forgiveness and understanding towards her
experience and harasser. This allowed the subject to have the desire to be an advocate
for such a social issue and begin the conversation about it. She added that if she would
be called to testify and talk to other victims, she would strongly agree to do so.
Regarding her perspective on how the administration handled the case, she said
that it was handled very well. Despite the complications in the early stages of the
investigation, she still acknowledged the fact that the action was immediate and the
investigation was thorough. She also acknowledged that although the process was still
slow, it was much faster compared to the previous major cases.
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There is still a long way to go regarding the programs that address these cases.
The interviewee believes that there should be a more active conversation about such a
social issue and the administration should be more active in implementing such
projects. She states that she notices that more people are becoming aware of its
occurrence, but there is simply a lack of platforms that could be used to further the
knowledge and awareness of others. As previously mentioned, the subject would be
more than willing to be an advocate for sexual harassment, but there are simply not
enough programs to do so.
Interpretation/Personal Comments
The data presented by the subject was very detailed. She managed to tell her
experience in a very detailed manner from the beginning to the end, especially her
thoughts and emotions. She mentioned feeling a mix of several emotions ranging from
shame to guilt and anger. According to numerous studies, these emotions are normal
for sexual harassment victims. One of her notable experiences was the period when she
blamed herself for the incident, which is only more proof of the lack of conversation
and rehabilitation for the social issue. She also experienced the other common effects
to her physical well-being such as being more conscious of how she projects herself to
the public. She mentioned the experience as “traumatizing” and leaving her “broken”,
which I believe are very important and impactful statements that represent the feeling
of victims of sexual harassment anywhere.
One of the unique qualities of the interviewee was her positive outlook on the
experience and her harasser. She was very understanding and forgiving. I believe that
this shows the ideal reaction regarding cases like this. The interviewee should be
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100
considered very lucky given that not all victims would be so willing to leave all of the
traumatic experiences in the past. This also shows that all victims have various coping
mechanisms to their traumatic experiences. It just so happens that the subject chose to
let go as a way of coping with her experience.
The interviewee displayed a great concern not only for her well-being, but also
her family. One of the studies I have read for research mentioned the possibility of
having secondary victims and these are the family members that are also affected by
the traumatic experiences of the victim. This concept could be apparent in the case of
the interviewee with her parents and her grandmother having to undergo certain
changes in order to cope with the situation.
Nonetheless, in contrast to the previous interviews, she mentioned that the
actions of the administration were satisfactory. This could be linked to the fact that, by
comparison, her case was much more severe compared to that of others. Furthermore,
it was also more public considering that it reached other campuses, as well as more
accessible and obviously immoral given that it was on a porn site. This gives the
impression that incidents that are more public are given more attention by the school
than those that aren’t. Nonetheless, the administration focused more on the actual case
and did not do much for the recovery of the victimized student afterwards. The
interviewee, just like the others, had to get support from their friends and family.
The utilization of social media could be seen in implementing the immoral act
of sexual harassment and the investigation of it afterwards. Despite the improving state
of technology, there was still difficulty in determining the suspect. Given the
circumstances, social media was used for more negative means than positive. The
factor of anonymity played a huge role in the case, especially as one of the reasons as
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to why the solving of the case was prolonged for so long. The role of social media in
the spreading of the video was also a key player in the attention given to the case. It
also showed how easy content through social media could be accessed by anyone from
any point of the country, or even the world. In the case of the Philippines, there is still
not enough progress in order to efficiently handle cases concerning sexual harassment
through social media.