STREET HARASSMENT SURVEY 2012.

Transcription

1 STREET HARASSMENT SURVEY 2012.

2 1. Abstract 2. Methodology, questionnaire flow & sample 3. Results: Key findings & tables i. Incidence ii. iii. Describing the most often / typical experience Perceptions of street harassment

3 According to the results of online survey conducted by Hollaback Croatia, 99% of women experienced some form of street harassment in their lifetime, and 1 in 2 women will experience it by the age of 18. Calling pet names, leering, honking, comments about the appearance are most pervasive & most often forms of harassment. However, other types such as flashing, groping or following are also very common types, and 1 in 3 of women have been physically attacked. Experience of harassment leaves most women with negative emotions, no or little help from bystanders and altered behavior such as avoidance of being alone after dark or avoidance of eye contact.

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5 Online survey Survey s duration: about 15 minutes Interviews were collected in the period of January June 2012 Invitations were sent via civil organizations' networks, social networks and word of mouth 500 interviews completed, among them 89% female

6 1. Demographics 2. Experience of interactions from strangers in public places 1. Frequency, by type of experience 2. Age when it happened, by type of experience 3. Describing the experience 1. Choosing one type of experience which happened most often 2. Describing the most often / typical experience: 1. Emotions & reactions 2. Sex & age of the harasser, with whom the harasser has been, with whom the respondents has been 3. Where it happened 4. Bystanders reactions 4. Additional questions 1. Changed behavior as a consequence of experiencing street harassment? 2. Perception of characteristics which make a person more likely to be harassed 3. Perception of situations in public spaces as more / less threatening

7 Sex 50 0 Female 11 Male Age Sexual orientation Heterosexual Lesbian Gay Bisexual Queer Other

8 60 Education (highest completed level) Zagreb & surrounding Other Occupation status Centre of the county Town, but not center of the county Village

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10 About 70 90% of women have experienced some form of verbal encounter from a stranger in public space at least once in their lifetime, ranging from swearing (71%) to comments about their appearance (93%). 70% of women report having been flashed, 41 55% of women report having seen public masturbation, having been groped or followed, 32% of women report physical attack at least once in their lifetime. According to the feelings stated by women, such encounters are unwanted, and thus represent harassment: Most women react with negative emotions such as annoyance, helplessness or fear, and only 2% (8 women out of 429) state only positive emotions. Many women alter their behavior as a consequence of experiencing street harassment, i.e. half of the sample mention to avoid eye contact or crossing the street on a regular basis. One in two women will experience some form of street harassment by the age of 18.

11 Type of experience Happened at least once in the lifetime, % WOMEN, N=446 MEN, N=54 Smiled or talked to you in a way which made you feel uncomfortable Whistled at you Called you a pet name (i.e. "sweetie" "honey") Honked at you Tried to get your phone number, a date, or your attention Made a comment about your appearance Made kissing noises at you Leered at you/stared excessively Made a sexist comment about you Made a racist comment about you Made a homophobic comment about you Swore at you/flipped you off Made a vulgar gesture Made a sexually explicit comment to you Flashed or mooned you Masturbated in front of you 41 7 Followed you Purposely blocked your path Touched or grabbed you in a sexual way Assaulted you Please check off the ways that any stranger has interacted with you in public (street, park, public transportation, store, restaurant, etc)

12 Type of experience, ordered by most often type *Happened at least once in the lifetime, % N=446 *Happened more than once in the lifetime, % N=446 **Most often type, % N=429 Leered at you/stared excessively Called you a pet name (i.e. "sweetie" "honey") Honked at you Made a comment about your appearance Smiled or talked to you in a way which made you feel uncomfortable Whistled at you Touched or grabbed you in a sexual way Tried to get your phone number, a date, or your attention Made a sexist comment about you Made a sexually explicit comment to you Followed you Flashed or mooned you Swore at you/flipped you off Masturbated in front of you Made a homophobic comment about you Purposely blocked your path Assaulted you (physical assault) Made a racist comment about you Made a vulgar gesture Made kissing noises at you *Please check off the ways that any stranger has interacted with you in public (street, park, public transportation, store, restaurant, etc) **Please chose one that has happened to you most often

13 How has this experience initiated by a stranger made you feel? You can mark more than one emotion. *Negative emotions: Annoyed, Ashamed /Guilty, Insulted, Scared, Angry, Helpless, Confused, Sad, Awkard, Dirty, Shocked, Humiliated, Disgusted; Neutral emotions: Neutral, I felt sorry for them, Other; Positive emotions: Flattered, Grateful, Happy, Funny Type of most often experience (only those with more than 30 respondents are shown) % of women reporting *NEGATIVE emotions % of women reporting *NEUTRAL emotions % of women reporting *POSITIVE emotions Smiled or talked to you in a way which made you feel uncomfortable, N= Whistled at you, N= Called you a pet name (i.e. "sweetie" "honey"), N= Honked at you, N= Made a comment about your appearance, N= Leered at you/stared excessively, N= Touched or grabbed you in a sexual way, N= TOTAL (any type of experience), N= Respondents could indicate more than one emotion. 2% of women (N=8) stated only positive emotions.

14 How did it make you feel?, % Annnoyed Angry Helpless Insulted Scared Confused Ashamed / guilty Sad Neutral Flattered Awkward Happy Disgusted Funny Humiliated I felt sorry for them Shocked Dirty Grategul ,5 0,5 0,5 0,2 0,2 0, How has this experience initiated by a stranger made you feel? You can mark more than one emotion.

15 Have you done/do you do any of the following because of actual or feared interactions with strangers in public? Never Rarely/few times Regularly (monthly or weekly) & Always Cross the street or take another route Avoid making eye contact Avoid specific neighborhoods or areas Talk on a cell phone Constantly assess your surroundings Avoid being alone Purposely wear clothes you think will attract less attention Pretend to have a significant other Scowl Avoid being out at night/after dark Wear an ipod/headphones Exercise at a gym instead of outside Carry a whistle, eye-spray or else for self-defense Take a dog with you Take self defense Gain weight Change jobs because of harassers in the area/commute 91 2 Move to another neighborhood 93 2

16 How old were you when this happened? Check all age intervals when it happened Smiled/talked to you in a way which made you feel uncomfortable Whistled at you Called you a pet name (ie "sweetie" "honey") Honked at you Tried to get your phone number, a date, or your attention Made a comment about your appearance Made kissing noises at you Leered at you/stared excessively Made a sexist comment about you Made a racist comment about you Made a homophobic comment about you Swore at you/flipped you off Made a vulgar gesture Made a sexually explicit comment to you Flashed or mooned you Masturbated in front of you Followed you Purposely blocked your path Touched or grabbed you in a sexual way Assaulted you

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18 Most women react passively to harassment, ignoring the situation or hurrying away. Bystanders are also passive: In half of the cases they didn t react although respondents assume that they have noticed the harassment. Harassment typically occurs on the street, when the person is alone and is done by men, either alone or with male peers.

19 How did you react? You can mark more than one response. How did you react?, % Ignored Hurried to get away Watched / leered angrily Said to stop it and leave me alone Smiled Attacked the harasser verbally Shouted Showed them the middlefinger Laughed Asked for help from bystanders Assaulted the harasser Waved back Tried to get out of the situation, e.g. by giving a false number Reported or threatened to report the harasser Gave them my phone number/arranged a date

20 Sex of the harasser, % With whom was the harasser?, % Male Female Other In group (same sex) 39 Alone 5 0,5 In group (mixed sex) In group (opposite sex) Please estimate sex of the stranger who has interacted with you. Has the stranger been alone or in group? Age of the harasser, % With whom were you?, % Alone Female friend Friends (both sexes) Family Male friend/partner Female partner Other Please estimate age of the stranger who has interacted with you With whom have you been at that moment?

21 If other people were present, how did they react? Were bystanders present?, % Yes No Bystanders reaction, % Noticed what hapenned but didn't react 51 Didn't notice anything 40 Interfered (e.g. asked if I need help, scared the harasser away) 2 Called the police/officials 0,3 Other

22 Where did it happen? Place where it happened, % Street 57 Public transport 17 School/college and surrounding 15 Station/stop of public transport 7 Club 6 Park 6 Other

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24 Most threatening situations to women are when they are alone, in a deserted/unfamilar area, when it s dark and when the person is of opposite sex. Respondents are aware that women, but also LGBTIQ people are the likely victims of street harassment: More than two thirds of the sample believe that female sex, open expression of homosexuality or non compliance with traditional gender norms make the person more likely to be harassed.

25 Please indicate on a scale of 1-7 what factors make those interactions with strangers nonthreatening to threatening. Ordered by mean (women) WOMEN, N=446 Mean: Scale of 1 (not threatening at all) to 7 (most threatening) MEN, N=54 Mean: I'm in a deserted area 5,7 4,4 ABOVE AVERAGE/NEUTRAL It s dark out 5,2 3,9 POINT=4 I'm in an unfamiliar area 5,1 4,0 I'm alone 5,0 Threatening situations 3,9 The person is of the opposite sex 4,8 2,0 (for women) The person is in a car and I'm not 4,5 2,7 The person is older than me 4,1 2,9 AVERAGE / 4 The person is larger than me 4,0 3,2 The person is around my age 3,5 I'm in a populated area The person is younger than me 3,3 3,2 BELOW AVERAGE/NEUTRAL POINT=4 2,6 2,6 The person is my size or smaller 3,1 2,3 Less/not threatening I'm in a familiar area 3,0 2,3 situations The person is of the same sex 2,5 2,9 It's daylight out 2,5 (for women) 2,0 I'm with my significant other 2,3 2,7 I'm with several friends 2,0 1,8 2,8

26 Please indicate all characteristics which can make a person more likely to be a victim of street harassment. Ordered by percentage (women) WOMEN, N=446, % MEN, N=54, % Female sex Public expression of homosexuality Behavior or appearance not in line with sex (i.e. masculine girl, feminized boy) Attractive clothes Attractive looks Age (up to 30 years) Flirting Male sex Race, ethnic minority 3 4 Any difference 2 2 Unconventionality, belonging to subculture 2 0 It s because of the harasser, never because of the victim 1 0 Different looks (too attractive / not attractive) 1 2 Disability 0,4 0 When the person is alone, especially at night 0,2 2

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