Over 1.5 Million Young Female Britons Experience Harassment, Despite Lack of Government Intervention
The Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Act, passed two years ago by Parliament, aimed to make public harassment a specific criminal offence. However, the UK Government has yet to make the act enforceable, leaving an estimated 1.5 million young women vulnerable to harassment.
According to recent data, British respondents, on average, experience unwanted physical attention from a stranger more than once a month. This alarming statistic is particularly prevalent among young women, with 1 in 4 reporting sexual harassment in the past year.
The burden of public sexual harassment falls unfairly on young women and girls, and even more so on disabled and LGBTQ people, who face harassment at rates two to six times higher than others. heartbreaking stories like that of Georgia Theodoulou, a teacher, who was sexually harassed by her male students, are all too common.
One of Theodoulou's students' school book was labeled with the name 'Andrew Tate' and had the message 'make me a fucking sandwich' scrawled across it. Such incidents highlight the need for immediate action.
Kathleen Spencer Chapman, Director of Influencing & External Affairs at Plan International UK, is calling for the Government to implement this Act, ensure police and courts can address harassment effectively, and tackle misogyny early in schools. Chapman emphasises the importance of pairing enforcement with preventative education to tackle the cultural attitudes that fuel harassment.
In support of Chapman's call, organisations such as Our Streets Now and Plan International UK are urging the Government to publish and implement statutory guidance immediately to make the Act enforceable. Until the law is enforced, 1.5 million young women will continue to experience harassment and feel ignored.
The charity website Everyone's Invited listed as many as 1,664 British primary schools where sexual abuse or harassment has taken place. These incidents underscore the urgent need for action.
Two-thirds (66%) of victims turned to friends for support instead of reporting the incident to the police. Only 7% reported it to the police, indicating a lack of trust in the current system. In the past six months, nearly half of women (48%) have felt uncomfortable due to someone walking closely behind them on the street, highlighting the pervasive nature of the problem.
Charli Keely, Head of Campaigns at Our Streets Now, experienced public harassment at the age of 18 and 14. Keely's experiences are echoed by many young women and girls who feel they are living in a climate where harassment is accepted as a part of daily life.
The search results do not provide specific information regarding who took responsibility for the delay in the publication and implementation of statutory guidelines for enforcing the Protection law against sexual harassment in public spaces. However, the urgency to address this issue cannot be overstated.
49% of girls say things have gotten worse since the law was passed, with 57% of 18-21-year-olds agreeing. This suggests that the current measures are not effective enough in combating the issue.
95% of girls aged 14-21 take measures to feel safe in public, indicating a widespread fear and lack of security among young women. It is time for the Government to take action and ensure that all young women can live without fear of harassment.
