Research Report Let Girls Be Girls
Subtitle
How Coercive Sexual Environments Affect Girls Who Live in DisadvantagedCommunities and What We Can Do about It
Susan J. Popkin, Mary Bogle, Janine M. Zweig, Priya Saxena, Lina Breslav, Molly Michie
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In neighborhoods where disadvantage and violence are great and collective efficacy and social control are low, a gender-specific neighborhood mechanism can emerge that has different effects on male and female youth. Some communities develop a pervasive coercive sexual environment (CSE) in which harassment, domestic violence, and sexual exploitation of women and even very young girls become part of everyday life. This research report describes the CSE phenomenon, as well as next steps for research and action.
Research Areas Wealth and financial well-being Neighborhoods, cities, and metros Children and youth Social safety net
Tags Poverty Children's health and development Sexual attitudes and behavior Wealth inequality Race, gender, class, and ethnicity Women and girls Sexual violence Neighborhoods and youth development Kids in context
Policy Centers Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center