The Student Room Group

97% of young women have been sexually harassed in public places

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Original post by Napp
I find the 97% specious but that a majority of woman have been harassed? Not overly surprising unfortunately.
One thing i am curious about though is what the metrics are that they used? After all, some would start counting, as it were, at being cat called or groped, whilst others would include such non-events as simply being looked at - so called micro aggressions and other nonsense.

Either way, that isnt to say this isnt clearly a troubling piece made no less more potent than what happened to that poor woman in London. the real question is what is to be done? After all, i wouldnt say it is seen as acceptable by many to harass woman so the usual riposte of 'educate your sons' seems a bit redundant here. The one doing the rounds on social media about holding all men responsible for the actions of a few seems somewhat egregious though.


Yeah it depends on the definition of sexual harassment?

I didn’t realise staring was included, or a minor unwanted comment that didn’t go any further.

And yeah agree with your last point.
Original post by Driving_Mad
Yeah it depends on the definition of sexual harassment?

I didn’t realise staring was included, or a minor unwanted comment that didn’t go any further.

And yeah agree with your last point.

I feel like it will only get worse, soon just walking near a woman will count as sexual harassment. It really is ridiculous and getting out of control. Sexual harassment should have a solid, factual and clear definition instead of a definition relying purely on emotions. The current definition I found for sexual harassment in the UK is this:
Sexual harassment is unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature which: violates your dignity. makes you feel intimidated, degraded or humiliated. creates a hostile or offensive environment.

In other words, if someone is playing ball near you and it makes you feel intimidated, degraded or humiliated it is sexual harassment. I am probably going to get into hot water for saying all this since this is TSR but I will say it anyway. Definitions like these are the perfect weapon for opportunistic women to ruin the lives of men, hence a line has to be drawn.
(edited 3 years ago)
Original post by The RAR
I feel like it will only get worse, soon just walking near a woman will count as sexual harassment. It really is ridiculous and getting out of control. Sexual harassment should have a solid, factual and clear definition instead of a definition relying purely on emotions. The current definition I found for sexual harassment in the UK is this:
Sexual harassment is unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature which: violates your dignity. makes you feel intimidated, degraded or humiliated. creates a hostile or offensive environment.

In other words, if someone is playing ball near you and it makes you feel intimidated, degraded or humiliated it is sexual harassment. I am probably going to get into hot water for saying all this since this is TSR but I will say it anyway. Definitions like these are the perfect weapon for opportunistic women to ruin the lives of men, hence a line has to be drawn.


Idk anymore I would never purposefully make anyone man or woman feel like that, but now I just make sure to overthink everything I do just in case. Even looking back at the past I definitely wouldn’t say some of the things I said to girls again.

But the main thing is that things like catcalling shouldn’t be normalised. Can’t believe these 30 year old mid aged men catcall, especially to girls in their school uniform 16 and under.
Original post by Driving_Mad
Idk anymore I would never purposefully make anyone man or woman feel like that, but now I just make sure to overthink everything I do just in case. Even looking back at the past I definitely wouldn’t say some of the things I said to girls again.

But the main thing is that things like catcalling shouldn’t be normalised. Can’t believe these 30 year old mid aged men catcall, especially to girls in their school uniform 16 and under.

Really don't overthink, the vast majority of men are already good (Such as yourself) and there is no need to change behaviours. Yes, of course things like catcalling shouldn't be tolerated. Is downright creepy and disturbing, especially when doing it to high school girls.
Original post by The RAR
Really don't overthink, the vast majority of men are already good (Such as yourself) and there is no need to change behaviours. Yes, of course things like catcalling shouldn't be tolerated. Is downright creepy and disturbing, especially when doing it to high school girls.


Yeah I just hope this isn’t a trend and forgotten about when something else related to another issue occurs next week.

Regardless of whether the statistic in the title is accurate or not sexual harassment levels are obviously too high and hopefully the recent discussions can help reduce this statistic.
Reply 25
Original post by The RAR
I feel like it will only get worse, soon just walking near a woman will count as sexual harassment. It really is ridiculous and getting out of control. Sexual harassment should have a solid, factual and clear definition instead of a definition relying purely on emotions. The current definition I found for sexual harassment in the UK is this:
Sexual harassment is unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature which: violates your dignity. makes you feel intimidated, degraded or humiliated. creates a hostile or offensive environment.

In other words, if someone is playing ball near you and it makes you feel intimidated, degraded or humiliated it is sexual harassment. I am probably going to get into hot water for saying all this since this is TSR but I will say it anyway. Definitions like these are the perfect weapon for opportunistic women to ruin the lives of men, hence a line has to be drawn.


Just on the first bit, something I’ve seen going about a lot recently, is calls for men to cross the road and not walk within a hundred feet of a woman (my interpretation on distance) but it’s truly bizarre the kinds of action some people think should be done. Naturally it comes from the same sorts who think being white, straight, male and not self flagilatonf over these things should be illegal but hey ho.

There is decidedly a problem with sex based violence, although the west is still a paradise compared to Africa and parts of Asia, but the ideas being lobbed around like hand grenades seem like they’re designed to make things worse in my view.
I mean, seriously, who would think banning men walking on certain sides of the road is a good idea?
Reply 26
Original post by ANM775
I am not a woman, but the reason I asked that question is because I saw another woman on TSR say that before. I then thought to myself that perhaps if 97% of other women were experiencing harassment and a few arn't then yes I can see the logic in some women perhaps not feeling desirable/wanted.

I didn't think it would cause such controversy, but then i forget we're living in the snowflake era where it's cool to get offended by anything and everything.. :rolleyes:


i gave you three reasons why a woman says she wants to be sexually harrased and you haven't even tried to address it :dontknow:

sexual harrassment = you're attractive and self validation in your opinion? i would say go back to my three points. no one wants to be harassed unless they think they deserve it.
There are creepy ********s out there who need calling out on various forms of harassment but I don't think campaigners are helping the cause by setting the bar so low for sexual harassment as to include staring.
Reply 28
Original post by Joleee
i gave you three reasons why a woman says she wants to be sexually harrased and you haven't even tried to address it :dontknow:

sexual harrassment = you're attractive and self validation in your opinion? i would say go back to my three points. no one wants to be harassed unless they think they deserve it.


and what will happen if i start talking in depth about it?
did you not see what happened to my OP?

I'm close to getting banned.......
Original post by Napp
Just on the first bit, something I’ve seen going about a lot recently, is calls for men to cross the road and not walk within a hundred feet of a woman (my interpretation on distance) but it’s truly bizarre the kinds of action some people think should be done.


What is bizarre about crossing the road rather than say walking up behind someone at midnight on an otherwise deserted street? It really does not take much brain power to realise that you can inadvertently scare the crap out of them.

As someone who likes a late night walk and will often outpace a person who is walking home after a couple of drinks, it is something I've done for years simply because it is common sense and a basic courtesy.


Naturally it comes from the same sorts who think being white, straight, male and not self flagilatonf over these things should be illegal but hey ho.

I mean, seriously, who would think banning men walking on certain sides of the road is a good idea?


I do enjoy your ludicrous histrionics.
Reply 30
Original post by Calibrated.
What is bizarre about crossing the road rather than say walking up behind someone at midnight on an otherwise deserted street? It really does not take much brain power to realise that you can inadvertently scare the crap out of them.

As someone who likes a late night walk and will often outpace a person who is walking home after a couple of drinks, it is something I've done for years simply because it is common sense and a basic courtesy.



If I have to go and cross the road unnecessarily each time i see a woman past 6pm then it's creating inconvenience for me. I saw a guy on newsnight or something claiming he does this at night and was shocked tbh. If he wants to do that then it's up to him but i don't like how there is growing pressure mounting for other men to do this....

I wouldn't be surprised actually if i crossed the road, then crossed back afterwards...and the woman ran up to me to confront me for being sexist or something ..because i'm crossing the road on the basis of her gender and making certain assumptions about her.

..that is the kind of society we live in nowadays 🙄
(edited 3 years ago)
Yet none of you want a sexual apartheid system where men and women live and work separately on the grounds that 'this isnt Saudi'.
Reply 32
Original post by Calibrated.
What is bizarre about crossing the road rather than say walking up behind someone at midnight on an otherwise deserted street? It really does not take much brain power to realise that you can inadvertently scare the crap out of them.

As shocking as this might be to you there are more than two options than either tail gaiting someone or crossing the road for no reason. Just because you creepily walk up behind someone doesnt mean most normal people do.

As someone who likes a late night walk and will often outpace a person who is walking home after a couple of drinks, it is something I've done for years simply because it is common sense and a basic courtesy.

You find it common sense to cross the road to avoid people? Yeah most people would just find that a bit odd in of itself when the normal course of action is to simply walk around somebody :rolleyes:.




I do enjoy your ludicrous histrionics.

Coming form the one who runs across the street to avoid people, you're on shaky ground. Then again, you might well be doing others a favour in walking away from them given what you said in the first paragraph.
Reply 33
Original post by caravaggio2
There are creepy ********s out there who need calling out on various forms of harassment but I don't think campaigners are helping the cause by setting the bar so low for sexual harassment as to include staring.

In fairness, nuance probably plays a part there. Simply looking at someone being perfectly normal and something everyone does (bar on the tube :lol: ) oggling them on the other hand can be downright creepy. Not assault by any stretch of the imagination but not exactly the most welcome thing to do. In a similar way to how having a group of chavs staring at you is going to unnerve most people i imagine.
Original post by Napp
Just on the first bit, something I’ve seen going about a lot recently, is calls for men to cross the road and not walk within a hundred feet of a woman (my interpretation on distance) but it’s truly bizarre the kinds of action some people think should be done. Naturally it comes from the same sorts who think being white, straight, male and not self flagilatonf over these things should be illegal but hey ho.

There is decidedly a problem with sex based violence, although the west is still a paradise compared to Africa and parts of Asia, but the ideas being lobbed around like hand grenades seem like they’re designed to make things worse in my view.
I mean, seriously, who would think banning men walking on certain sides of the road is a good idea?


No one is seriously thinking of banning men from walking on certain sides of the road. It is a figment of your wild imagination.
Reply 35
Original post by _Wellies_
No one is seriously thinking of banning men from walking on certain sides of the road. It is a figment of your wild imagination.

You're not good at interpreting posts are you? :rolleyes:
At any rate, do you have any sort of point to make other than whining about my pointing out what certain posts on social media are saying? Or are you denying the existence of people advocating this? :lol:
Original post by ANM775
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/uknews/14305600/all-young-women-sexually-harassed-modify-behaviour-avoid-attacked/


Do you find this surprising or unsurprising?
It seems sexual harassment is a part of everyday life



Mod note: This thread refers to sensitive topics. Please be respectful of the impact this report and discussion may have on others, and ensure all posting in this thread remains within TSR community guidelines. If you feel you may benefit from support around these events, please reach out to Childline, Samaritans or Rape Crisis.


The idea that 97% of women have been victims of actual sexual harassment is farcical, you only get crazy numbers like that when you include batshit things like smiling at women.
On the subject of not crossing the road when you are walking up behind a woman, on the rare occasion I do walk somewhere I’ll just carry on not raping, assaulting or murdering them.
Interesting. So you see a woman you like and speak to her. If you’re hot, it’s fine, if you’re not, it’s sexual harassment.
Pretty shocking to hear that nearly 40% of women have received unwelcome touching, body rubbing or groping. As someone who's experienced this myself, it's a pretty awful thing to experience.

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