Nearly a QUARTER of women aged 16-24 have suffered sexual harassment in the past year, shock figures show

Nearly a quarter of women aged 16-24 have suffered sexual harassment over the past year, figures show.

The shocking scale of the issue has been revealed in new data – with women and the younger generation bearing the brunt.

Overall one in 10 people aged 16 or over experienced at least one form of harassment in the previous 12 months, according to results from the Crime Survey for England and Wales.

Females were more likely to have had an experience that made them feel ‘upset, distressed, or threatened’ – by 13 per cent to 7 per cent for men.

Three quarters of victims were harassed in person, while a fifth suffered online.

But the numbers surged even higher among younger age groups, with 20 per cent of 16-19 year-olds and 21 per cent of 20-24-year-olds enduring at least one type of harassment in the past year.

A staggering 23.1 per cent of women in the 16-24 age group said they had suffered sexual harassment in the past year. For men the level was 7.7 per cent.

The most common form of sexual harassment was classed as ‘inappropriate jokes, comments or gestures’

Sexual harassment was overwhelmingly aimed at women, with 8 per cent saying they had experience it as opposed to 3 per cent of males.

Among the 16-24 age group a staggering 23.1 per cent said they have suffered sexual harassment. For men the level was 7.7 per cent.

Some 16.1 per cent of females aged 25-34 had the same issue, compared to just 1.9 per cent of men.

A quarter of those who had experienced sexual harassment said it happened at their place of work. 

The most common form was classed as ‘inappropriate jokes, comments or gestures’.

That was followed by unwanted messages or calls, unwanted touching, and unwanted relationship attempts.

Some 0.7 per cent of women had experienced sexually explicit images being taken, shared or had a threat to do so.

And 0.6 per cent of females had been the victim of flashing, either in person or online. 

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures record how many people were victims of harassment, rather than how many incidents have taken place. 

People aged 20-24 were most likely to have experienced harassment in the past year

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