Adolescence is a critical developmental period for exploring sexual and gender identity,
sexual attractions, relationships, dating, and intimacy. The middle school years represent a
particularly critical stage for relationship abuse and sexual violence education and
prevention, as many youth start establishing romantic or sexual relationships for the first
time. 1, 2 Sexual harassment increases during middle school, 3–6 with studies identifying
such experiences as early as sixth grade and persisting into high school. 7–10 Increased�…