Alcohol-related sexual harrassment has become a normalised part of a night out, a new Drinkaware/YouGov survey has revealed. Almost three quarters (71%) of 18-24 year old men and women who drink in bars, clubs or pubs surveyed said that they had seen sexual harassment on a night out.
More than two thirds (67%) of men and women said they expected women to be on the receiving end of inappropriate comments, touching and behaviour on a night out. Worryingly, 42% said that they had been on the receiving end of some form of sexual harassment themselves.
On the back of these findings, Drinkaware is campaigning to put an end to unwanted drunken sexual harassment and its normalisation. The alcohol education charity aims to encourage witnesses to challenge the status quo by giving them information and advice on what to do if they see or suspect that someone is being harassed.
The three elements of the advice are:
- Spot it – Is something dodgy happening?
- Check it – Is it safe to step in?
- Speak out – If it’s safe to do so, check in with the person being targeted: Are they OK? If not, try staff or security.
Janet MacKechnie, Campaign Lead for Drinkaware, said: “For far too many people, drunken sexual harassment is now sadly part and parcel of a night out.
“Being drunk is no excuse to grab, grope or make inappropriate comments to strangers on a night out after a few drinks
“If people see someone being sexually harassed, asking them if they are ok can make a big difference – whether they’re a friend or a stranger.
“It can be difficult to know exactly what to do which is why Drinkaware are giving young people this information and advice in the hope that next time they feel more confident to offer support to someone.
“It’s time to put an end to unwanted drunken sexual harassment. Asking someone if they are OK and giving them support sends a clear signal that this behaviour is no longer going to be tolerated.”
Between 23rd June and 3rd July 2017, YouGov conducted a quota survey of 2,013 UK adults aged 18-24 through their online panel. Quotas were set based on the known population profile of adults aged 18-24, and the final data was weighted to reflect this profile.
*sexual harassment is the net figure of the responses to ‘someone being on the receiving end of inappropriate sexual comments or abuse’, ‘someone being on the receiving end of inappropriate sexual touching’ or ‘someone receiving other inappropriate or unwanted physical attention or touching’.
| Nations | Seen sexual harassment seen on night out | Personally experienced inappropriate sexual comments or touching (total men + women) | Expectation
Likely that you (if female) or a female friend will be on the receiving end of some form of sexual harassment |
Sample size |
| England | 72% | 44% | 69% | 1357 |
| Wales | 80% | 46% | 68% | 85 |
| Scotland | 71% | 42% | 67% | 131 |
Please note data for Northern Ireland is not included as the base size of 27 was too small and therefore cannot be used.
| Region | Seen sexual harassment seen on night out | Personally experienced inappropriate sexual comments or touching (total men + women) | Expectation
Likely that you (if female) or a female friend will be on the receiving end of some form of sexual harassment (inappropriate sexual touching, comments or abuse, unwanted physical attention or touching) |
Sample size |
| North West | 72% | 47% | 67% | 168 |
| North East | 70% | 52% | 67% | 62 |
| Yorkshire & Humberside | 70% | 49%
|
67% | 154 |
| North overall | 71% | 49% | 67% | 384 |
| East Midlands | 69% | 49% | 74% | 122 |
| West Midlands | 71% | 40% | 64% | 101 |
| Midlands overall | 70% | 44% | 69% | 223 |
| East of Eng | 72% | 38% | 68% | 161 |
| London | 75% | 48% | 72% | 186 |
| South East | 70% | 37% | 72% | 241 |
| South West | 74% | 41% | 64% | 162 |
| South Overall | 71% | 39% | 69% | 403 |
Please note that YouGov have shared that the absolute minimum sample size for analysis is 50 respondents, although 100 is preferable.
Drinkaware has launched the new guidance for bystanders as part of its Wouldn’t Shouldn’t campaign.
Wouldn’t Shouldn’t is Drinkaware’s campaign to challenge drunken sexual harassment in bars and clubs. It is aimed at 18 – 24 year olds and has been running since 2014.
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