DEAR ABBY: I am 14 and a little confused. I go to a school where "flirting" involves touching. Even when the girls say stop, the boys don't.
One guy has grabbed me several times. I like him, but I'm afraid he's going to do worse things to me. Please help me. I feel weird talking about this to anyone. But I need to know what flirting really means. -- EMBARRASSED IN CAMDEN, ARK.
DEAR EMBARRASSED: Flirting is letting someone that you're interested in know it. It can be a smile, a greeting, a lingering glance, or a touch on the hand, the arm or the shoulder. It does not involve grabbing or overtly sexual touching.
I'm sorry you feel uncomfortable discussing it. Someone should tell the school administration about what's happening so the difference between flirting and sexual harassment can be explained to the entire student body before things get "out of hand."