Survey: Women’s Exposure to Gender-Based Violence and Harassment in the Street

One year after #MeToo and in the week of the International Day for the Elimination […]

21/11/2018

One year after #MeToo and in the week of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 25th, the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS) and the Fondation Jean-Jaurès have wished to look at gender-based violence and harassment in the street in five European countries (France, Italy, Spain, Germany, United-Kingdom) and in the United States.

This survey carried out by Ifop (the French Institute for Public Opinion) has been presented on the occasion of the conference on “Sexual Harassment and gender-based violence at work: state of play, state of emergency?” co-organised by the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS) and Fondation Jean-Jaurès which gathered academics, institutional officials, politicians and civil society representatives on November 19th, 2018.

Check the results of the survey in English or French

Summary of the survey 

Panorama of different types of sexual harassment and gender-based violence in Europe and the United States:

  • How many women have been confronted to disrespectful behaviour on the street?
  • How many women have been victim of sexist insults or sexual slurs on the street?
  • How many women have been victim of street harassment?
  • How many women have been victim of street exhibitionism?
  • How many women have been victim of molesting on the street?

Main Finings

  • 65% of European women have been whistled at on the street in their lives, 70% for American women
  • 36% of European women have experienced sexist remarks, mocking or insults on the street in their lives, 50% for American women
  • 36% of European women have experienced obscene gestures with a sexual connotation in their lives (50% for Spanish women), 46% for American women
  • 56% of German women have approached with insistence in their lives in spite of the absence of their consent (European average: 45%)
  • 43% of the French women have been followed during part of their way at least once in their lives (European average: 37%)
  • 35% of the Spanish women have been confronted with street exhibitionism in their lives
  • 40% of the British women have experienced sexual touching and fondling (e.g. hands placed on buttocks) in spite of the absence of their consent at least once in their lives (European average: 34%), 41% for American women
  • 40% of German women have been victim of at least one form of sexual assault or molesting on the street during the past 12 months
  • 86% of French women have been victim of at least one form of sexual assault or molesting on the street

Methodology

The survey has been carried out with a sample of 6025 women, composed of a representative sample of women aged 18 years old and more across the following countries:

  • Italy: 1009 women
  • Spain: 1007 women
  • France: 1004 women
  • Germany: 1004 women
  • United Kingdom: 1001 women
  • United States: 1000 women

In each country, the survey has been carried out amongst a sample whose representativeness has been guaranteed by the quotas method (age, profession of the person surveyed) after stratification by region. The data guaranteeing the representativeness of the results has been retrieved from data provided by:

  • The European Union Labour Force Survey (EU LFS 2014) for the European countries,
  • The current Population Survey (CPS 2015) for the United States

The interviews have been carried out by an online self-administered questionnaire from October 25th to 30th, 2018.

Network
Fondation Jean-Jaurès
Find all related publications
Publications
08/03/2023

Abortion in the European Union

Actors, issues and discourse
08/03/2023

The European Care Strategy

A chance to ensure inclusive care for all?
03/03/2023

Spotlight on the political groups as gender equality actors

Struggles over issues of gendered violence in the European Parliament
10/02/2023

Climate and gender policy

'Climate mainstreaming: breaking down the silos' series
Find all related events
Events
Upcoming
04/05/2023
Online

Climate and gender

'Climate mainstreaming: Breaking down the silos' series
Past
02 - 03/03/2023
Valencia, Spain

#ProgressivesSpeakUp 2023

School of young local and regional politicians
06/03/2023
New York, USA

CSW67 Parallel Event: Automating inequality

The digital era, a new reality perpetuating old forms of discrimination?
Find all related news
News
20/02/2023

When will European women start earning the same as men?

Spoiler alert: that day hasn’t arrived yet
03/03/2022

EU Care Atlas: how care deficits impact the gender earnings gap

While the attention is often focused on the gender pay gap (which averages 13% in […]
02/12/2021

FEPS Joins the Brussels Binder Think Tank Network

The Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS) and the Brussels Binder commit to strengthening their […]
11/12/2013

Research Project: Beyond Austerity, Towards Employment: a Gender Aware Framework

FEPS, together with the Economic Council of the Labour Movement (ECLM), the School of Oriental […]
Find all related in the media
In the media

Pay transparency can help close the gender pay gap but at what cost?

by Euronews 31/08/2022

How many inequalities can the world fight at the same time?

by Social Europe 07/07/2022

Rebutting the assaults on gender equality

by Social Europe 08/03/2022

La cúpula de la UE también es de cristal: 4 mujeres entre los 28 representantes

by La Información 11/06/2019