Women and young people report higher levels of sexual harassment

The most frequent location for sexual harassment is a pub or club.

Half of young people aged 18 to 24 have experienced sexual harassment in the last year, new CSO figures show.

It compares to one in five of all adults — but the rate among women is over twice (28%) than men (13%).

Women are also almost four times as likely to have experienced inappropriate physical contact (15%) than men (4%).

Almost nine in ten adults reported that the perpetrator was male.

The CSO survey is the fifth in a series of reports examining the prevalence of sexual violence in Ireland.

Certain groups experienced higher levels of sexual harassment: 

• Single people (35%), divorced/separated (25%) and married (12%);
• Students (52%), unemployed (25%), employed (22%);
• Bisexual (63%), gay/lesbian (48%), heterosexual (19%).

The CSO said women were over three times more likely to experience remarks of a sexual nature being made to them online (14%) than men (4%).

Women were more likely to experience inappropriate sexual advances (12%) than men (2%) and almost four times more likely to experience inappropriate physical contact (15%) than men (4%).

Young adults aged 18-24 experienced the highest levels, with three in ten reporting inappropriate sexual contact. One-in-twelve young adults reported they had experienced their sexual images or videos being shared without permission

Women report the perpetrator was male in almost all cases (98%). Among men, six out of ten said it was male, with four out of ten saying it was female.

Some 62% of young adults said the perpetrator was a stranger, compared to 24% of 55-64 year olds.

The most frequent location for sexual harassment is a pub/club (26%). One of five people experienced it in a public place/park.

Women were more likely to experience it in a pub/club (29%), compared with men (18%). Women were also more likely to experience it in a park/public space (23%) compared to men (13%).

Almost half of young people experienced sexual harassment in a pub/club.

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Younger people were more likely to disclose sexual harassment to someone (64%), compared to all adults (52%). Family members and friends were the main people.

In relation to stalking with fear of sexual violence 3% of all people said they experienced it — 4% of women and 1% of men. Younger people again were most likely to experience it (7%).

The vast majority reported that one person was involved and nine out of ten said it was a male.

Of the perpetrators, 29% said it was a stranger, 24% said it was a friend/acquaintance and 23% said it was a partner or ex-partner.