Most U.S. female teens sexually harassed

LEXINGTON, Ky., May 16 (UPI) -- A study of 600 U.S. teenage girls ages 12 to 18 found 90 percent reported sexual harassment at least once.

Christia Brown of the University of Kentucky and Campbell Leaper of the University of California Santa Cruz found 67 percent of the teens reported receiving unwanted romantic attention, 62 percent were exposed to demeaning gender-related comments, 58 percent were teased because of their appearance, 52 percent received unwanted physical contact and 25 percent were bullied or threatened with harm by a male.

The study, published in the May/June issue of Child Development, said 52 percent reported receiving discouraging gender-based comments on their math, science and computer abilities -- usually from male peers -- and 76 percent of girls reported sexist comments on their athletic abilities, again predominantly from male peers.

The study subjects were identified as 49 percent Latina, 23 percent white, 9 percent African-American, 7.5 Asian-American and 7.5 percent multiethnic or other.

Frequent sexual harassment may lead girls to expect and accept demeaning behaviors in heterosexual romantic relationships, and sexist remarks, the researchers said.