One in three girls in the UK has been sexually harassed in public when wearing school uniform, a new report has suggested. And two-thirds of girls say they have experienced unwanted sexual attention in public, it adds.
The figures come from a report by children's charity Plan International UK, which said many girls feel street harassment is "all part of growing up". It is calling on bystanders to challenge harassment when they see it.
The report surveyed more than 1,000 teenagers and young women aged 14 to 21, and also carried out interviews with girls and academics. It found:
- 66% of girls in the UK said they had experienced unwanted sexual attention or sexual or physical contact in a public place
- 35% of girls reported receiving unwanted sexual contact such as being touched, groped or grabbed
- Girls as young as eight years old described witnessing or experiencing harassment
- More than one in three girls received unwanted sexual attention such as being groped, stared at, catcalled and wolf-whistled while wearing school uniform
- One-quarter of girls said they had been filmed or photographed by a stranger without permission.
The charity is calling on the government to recognise street harassment as a type of "gender-based violence".
It has made several recommendations, including:
- Public awareness campaigns to spread the message that street harassment "is not OK"
- Offer training for bystanders on how to safely intervene
- Support boys and men to change their attitudes and challenge harassment
- Provide relationship and sex education to young people
- Training for workers in public places (shop staff, bus drivers) on spotting harassment and reporting it.
