Over half (54%) of young Australians, aged around 16 to 19, experienced sexual harassment in the last 12 months, according to a new report from the Australian Institute of Family Studies. Sexual harassment is a term that includes touching and grabbing, sexual remarks and showing sexually explicit images.
Young females were more likely to have experienced sexual harassment than young males, at 65% and 43% respectively. Young females were mostly subjected to sexual harassment by strangers, with young males mostly subjected to it by friends.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or queer (LGBTQ+) people aged 18-19 years were more likely to experience sexual harassment than non-LGBTQ+ people (49% compared to 31% respectively). The proportion was higher again for LGBTQ+ females aged 18-19 years (59%).
Of the 18-19-year-olds who had been sexually harassed in the past 12 months when surveyed in 2018, 48% experienced it at a bar, club or party, 27% online, 18% at work, and 12% at a place of study. Of 16-17 year-olds, 40% experienced sexual harassment at a place of study.
The research is based on data from Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC), which has been following 10,000 children since 2004. LSAC is managed by AIFS on behalf of the Department of Social Services.
Lead author and Research Fellow at AIFS, Dr Neha Swami, said the findings indicate that more needs to be done to prevent sexual harassment, particularly online and in public spaces.
'Of the older teens we surveyed who had experienced sexual harassment, 53% of females and 39% of males experienced it at a party, club or bar - showing many young people have extremely negative experiences when trying to enjoy themselves on a night out,' Dr Swami said.
'Given more than one quarter experienced sexual harassment online, programs and policies that support healthy interactions online - making it clear that certain comments and images can make people feel degraded and humiliated - could help.
'Strong mechanisms for reporting and responding to harassing behaviours in bars and clubs could also be a focus for helping reduce rates," Dr Swami said.
The research revealed that having relationships with parents and friends characterised by trust and healthy communication at 16-17 years played a critical role in reducing the likelihood of experiencing sexual harassment at 18-19 years.
Dr Swami said the report provides strong evidence to support policy and program development.
'While sexual harassment is always the fault of the perpetrator, programs that help adolescents foster healthy relationships with parents and peers at ages 16-17 years may help to reduce the likelihood of them experiencing sexual harassment later on,' Dr Swami said.
'As a parent, building a strong, trusting relationship with your child when they're young, and nurturing that all the way through to early adulthood could be highly beneficial.'
Dr Swami said social media companies also need to take note of the findings related to social media content sharing.
53% of females and 33% of males who shared or posted on social media hourly or several times a day experienced some form of sexual harassment in the past 12 months, compared to 35% of females and 17% of males who posted or shared on social media once a month or less.
'Sharing content on social media shouldn't increase a young person's risk of sexual harassment. That is a clear signal to governments and social media companies that more needs to be done to prevent perpetration and protect teens online,' Dr Swami said.
Sexual harassment is when a person behaves in a sexual manner that is unwelcome, and it makes another person feel intimidated, uncomfortable, degraded, humiliated or offended.
This study is the first Australian evidence from a nationally representative sample on the experience and nature of sexual harassment among young people that includes those under 18 years.
LSAC is the largest and longest study of Australian children. In partnership with the Department of Social Services, AIFS has been tracking 10,000 babies and toddlers since 2004, asking them about key aspects of life, including health, relationships, work, education and lifestyle.
AIFS conducts original research to increase understanding of Australian families and the issues that affect them.
