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Sexual Violence Survey 2022 – Sexual Harassment

Overall Sexual Harassment

CSO statistical publication, 26 September 2023, 11am

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If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this survey, help is available from the following national helplines or from local/regional helplines which you can find in the Background Notes.

Overall sexual harassment experienced in the last 12 months

This chapter examines the details relating to sexual harassment experienced in the last 12 months. This data is based on replies from those aged 18 and over.

Sexual harassment is defined in this survey as unwanted behaviours that a person may have experienced in the last 12 months, which made the person feel offended, humiliated or intimidated. These unwanted behaviours include:

crude or sexually explicit remarks made that the person found offensive, humiliating or intimidating while they were:
- online which includes commentary on social media, dating apps, or discussion boards or
- in any other situation, for example, in person, by text, phone call.
private sexual images or videos of a person shared without their permission. This included when the person was made aware within the last 12 months of historic images being shared without their permission.
someone exposing themselves physically in a way that made the person feel uncomfortable.
being exposed to sexually explicit pictures or photos that made the person feel offended, humiliated or intimidated.
experiencing physical contact, for example, touching, hugging or being in close proximity that made the person feel offended, humiliated or intimidated.
inappropriate sexual advances that made the person feel offended, humiliated or intimidated.
any other sexually inappropriate behaviour that made the person feel offended, humiliated or intimidated.

Information on these unwanted behaviours were sought, not solely for the workplace, but across a person’s daily life, for example, in a public place, at home or at work. See the Background Notes for further details.

Please note that as the survey ran from May to December 2022 that the 12-month period spans May 2021 to December 2022 depending on when the respondent completed the survey. This period did include varying levels of COVID-19 restrictions both nationally and internationally.

The demographic breakdowns provided are based on the information given by the respondent when the survey was collected, and so may not necessarily accord with their demographic profile when the sexual harassment took place (for example, they may have had a lower educational level when the sexual harassment occurred but have a higher educational level now when engaging with the survey).

Overall, younger people reported higher levels of experiencing sexual harassment in the last 12 months, with 50% of those aged 18-24 experiencing sexual harassment compared with 7% of those aged 65 and over. Women reported experiencing sexual harassment in the last 12 months at a higher rate (28%) than men (13%). Certain cohorts of the population reported higher levels of sexual harassment. These include amongst others, people with a third level education, single persons and bisexual people. For example, single people reported experiencing sexual harassment in the last 12 months (35%) at a higher level than those who were married (12%) or widowed (8%).

35%

of single persons aged 18 years and over

experienced sexual harassment in the previous 12 months

Source: CSO Ireland, Sexual Violence Survey 2022 – Sexual Harassment

Half of young adults experienced sexual harassment in the last 12 months

Key findings for sexual harassment in the previous 12 months by sociodemographic variables:

Half of young adults (50% of those aged 18-24) experienced sexual harassment in the previous 12 months, compared with 7% for those aged 65 and older. See Figure 3.1 and Table 3.1.
Overall, one in five adults (20%) experienced sexual harassment in the last 12 months. Women were over twice (28%) as likely to experience sexual harassment than men (13%).
People with a third level education reported experiencing sexual harassment in the last 12 months at four times the rate (24%) than those with a primary level of education only or below (6%).
Those who were students were more likely to have reported experiencing sexual harassment in the last 12 months (52%) compared with those who were employed (22%) or those retired (5%).
Those who were single experienced sexual harassment in the last 12 months at a higher level (35%) than those who were divorced/legally separated (25%) or widowed (8%).
Bisexual people reported over three times the level (63%) of sexual harassment in the last 12 months compared with heterosexual/straight people (19%). The equivalent rate for gay/lesbian people was 48%.

X-axis label	Age group
18-24	50
25-34	32
35-44	19
45-54	16
55-64	11
65 years and over	7

Table 3.1 Experience of sexual harassment in the previous 12 months by sociodemographic variables, 2022

Table 3.1 Experience of sexual harassment¹ in the previous 12 months² by sociodemographic variables³, 2022
% of persons aged 18 years and over
	Experienced sexual harassment in the previous 12 months
	Yes	No	Not stated⁴	Total
State	20	74	5	100

Sex
Male	13	82	6	100
Female	28	67	5	100

Age group⁵
18-24	50	46	5	100
25-34	32	64	5	100
35-44	19	75	6	100
45-54	16	79	5	100
55-64	11	86	3	100
65 years and over	7	87	6	100

Highest level of education attained
Primary or below	6	86	8	100
Lower secondary	10	84	6	100
Higher secondary	23	72	6	100
Post leaving certificate	21	74	5	100
Third level	24	72	5	100

Principal Economic Status
Employed	22	75	3	100
Unemployed	25	69	6	100
Retired	5	90	5	100
Unable to work due to long-standing health problems	22	74	4	100
Student	52	46	2	100
Fulfilling domestic tasks	16	82	2	100
Other⁶	13	40	47	100

Citizenship
Irish	21	75	4	100
Non Irish	17	76	7	100

Marital status⁷
Single	35	60	6	100
Married	12	82	5	100
Widowed	8	89	2	100
Divorced or legally separated	25	71	5	100

Disability
Yes	25	71	4	100
No	18	79	3	100
Not stated	0	9	91	100

Ethnicity
White - Irish	21	76	4	100
White - Irish traveller /Roma /other	20	75	4	100
Black or Black Irish	[31]	[55]	[13]	100
Asian or Asian Irish	17	76	7	100
Other⁶ including mixed group /background	12	42	46	100

Sexual orientation
Heterosexual	19	77	4	100
Bisexual	63	33	4	100
Gay/lesbian	48	47	5	100
Other including asexual /questioning /unsure	28	59	12	100
Will not say /cannot say⁶	5	47	48	100
¹ Sexual harassment is defined in this survey as unwanted behaviours that a person may have experienced in their daily life in the last 12 months, which made the person feel offended, humiliated or intimidated. See Background Notes for further details.
² This refers to the 12 months prior to the respondent completing the Sexual Violence Survey.
³ Please note data may not add to 100% due to rounding issues.
⁴This represents the proportion of respondents who did not answer the question. In this survey, respondents could move through the survey and not answer questions which they did not feel comfortable answering.
⁵ The age group category classifies the age the respondent was when they answered the survey.
⁶ Please note this includes not stated.
⁷ See background notes for further details on marital status.
[ ] Figures in parentheses indicate percentages based on small numbers and are, therefore, subject to a wide margin of error.

Open in Excel: Sexual Violence Survey 2022 - Sexual Harassment Table 3.1 (XLS 13KB)

Over one in 12 young adults experienced sexual images or videos of them being shared without their permission

Key findings for experience of sexual harassment in the previous 12 months by type of experience:

Over one in 12 young adults (8%) reported that they had experienced sexual images or videos of them being shared without their permission in the last 12 months. This was higher than the rate for those aged 55-64 which was 1%. See Table 3.2. This included cases where the person became aware in the last 12 months of historic images (those taken over 12 months ago) being shared without their permission.
Overall, the most prevalent sexual harassment experience was where remarks of a sexual nature were made while not online, for example, in person, by text or phone call. This included crude or sexually explicit remarks that the person found offensive, humiliating or intimidating. Overall, 12% of adults experienced this in the last 12 months, compared with 2% who experienced sexual images or videos of them being shared without their permission.
Women experienced higher rates across all types of sexual harassment experiences except for experiencing sexual images or videos of them being shared without their permission, where both men and women experienced it at the same rate (2%). Women were over three times more likely to have experienced remarks of a sexual nature being made to them online (14%) than men (4%). Women were also more likely to have experienced inappropriate sexual advances (12%) than men (2%). Women were almost four times more likely to have experienced inappropriate physical contact (15%) than men (4%). See Figure 3.2.
Young adults (those aged 18-24) experienced the highest rates across all sexual harassment experiences. Over three in ten (31%) of those aged 18-24 experienced inappropriate physical contact in the last 12 months, compared with 2% of those aged 65 and older. Almost a quarter (23%) of those aged 18-24 experienced inappropriate sexual advances in the last 12 months, compared with 2% of those aged 65 and older.
Students reported experiencing higher levels of sexual harassment than other types of principal economic status. Almost a third of students (32%) experienced inappropriate physical contact compared with 10% of those employed or 1% of those retired. Please note that inappropriate physical contact is physical contact, for example, touching, hugging or being in close proximity that made the person feel offended, humiliated or intimidated.
Bisexual people were over five times more likely to experience inappropriate sexual advances (31%) compared with heterosexual/straight people (6%). The equivalent rate for gay/lesbian people was 10%.
Persons with a disability experienced remarks of a sexual nature being made online (13%) at a higher level compared with those with no disability (7%).

Type of sexual harassment	Male	Female
Remarks of a sexual nature online	4	14
Remarks of a sexual nature in person	6	17
Sexual images or videos shared without the subject's permission	2	2
Physical exposure by somebody	1	6
Exposure to sexually explicit images	3	7
Inappropriate physical contact	4	15
Inappropriate sexual advances	2	12
Any other sexual inappropriate behaviour	3	11

Table 3.2 Experience of sexual harassment in the previous 12 months by type of experience, 2022

Table 3.2 Experience of sexual harassment¹ in the previous 12 months² by type of experience^3,4, 2022
% of persons aged 18 years and over
	Type of sexual harassment experienced in the previous 12 months
	Remarks of a sexual nature online⁵			Remarks of a sexual nature in person⁶			Sexual images or videos shared without the subject's permission⁷			Physical exposure by somebody⁸
	Yes	No	Not stated⁹	Yes	No	Not stated⁹	Yes	No	Not stated⁹	Yes	No	Not stated⁹
State	9	85	6	12	81	7	2	92	6	4	90	6

Sex
Male	4	89	6	6	87	7	2	91	7	1	92	7
Female	14	81	6	17	76	6	2	92	6	6	88	6

Age group¹⁰
18-24	27	68	5	32	62	6	8	87	6	14	81	5
25-34	15	79	6	19	75	6	3	91	6	6	88	6
35-44	7	86	7	11	82	8	1	91	7	3	90	7
45-54	6	88	6	9	84	7	1	92	6	2	92	6
55-64	3	92	4	6	90	5	1	95	4	1	95	4
65 years and over	2	90	7	3	88	9	0	92	8	2	90	8

Highest level of education attained
Primary or below	4	86	10	5	83	12	1	88	11	2	87	11
Lower secondary	4	90	7	5	87	8	1	92	7	1	92	7
Higher secondary	13	80	7	15	78	7	3	90	7	5	88	7
Post leaving certificate	9	85	6	12	82	6	2	92	6	4	90	6
Third level	9	86	5	14	80	6	2	92	5	4	90	6

Principal Economic Status
Employed	9	87	4	13	83	4	2	94	4	4	92	4
Unemployed	13	81	7	15	76	9	3	90	7	6	87	8
Retired	1	92	6	2	90	8	0	93	6	1	92	7
Unable to work due to long-standing health problems	7	88	6	13	82	6	4	90	6	1	92	7
Student	29	68	2	35	62	3	8	89	3	12	85	3
Fulfilling domestic tasks	6	91	3	8	88	4	1	96	3	4	94	2
Other¹¹	9	44	47	9	43	48	2	52	47	1	52	47

Citizenship
Irish	9	86	5	12	82	6	2	93	5	4	91	5
Non Irish	9	83	8	9	83	8	2	90	8	4	88	8

Marital status¹²
Single	17	76	6	21	71	7	5	88	7	8	85	7
Married	4	90	6	7	86	7	1	93	6	2	92	6
Widowed	3	93	3	3	91	6	1	96	4	2	92	6
Divorced or legally separated	13	82	5	13	81	5	3	92	6	6	88	6

Disability
Yes	13	83	4	15	79	5	4	92	4	6	89	5
No	7	89	3	10	86	4	1	95	4	3	93	4
Not stated	0	9	91	0	9	91	0	9	91	0	8	92

Ethnicity
White - Irish	9	86	4	13	82	5	2	93	5	4	91	5
White - Irish traveller /Roma /other	9	85	5	9	86	5	2	93	5	5	90	5
Black or Black Irish	[12]	[75]	[13]	[12]	[74]	[15]	[5]	[82]	[13]	[14]	[73]	[13]
Asian or Asian Irish	8	85	8	9	81	10	1	91	8	4	88	8
Other¹¹ including mixed group /background	5	48	48	6	46	48	3	50	47	4	47	49

Sexual orientation
Heterosexual	8	87	5	11	83	6	2	93	5	4	91	6
Bisexual	38	57	6	43	52	4	12	85	4	19	76	4
Gay/lesbian	27	69	5	31	64	5	13	83	5	3	93	5
Other including asexual /questioning /unsure	20	66	15	18	68	14	8	79	12	11	76	14
Will not say /cannot say¹¹	0	52	48	3	48	50	0	51	49	0	50	50
¹ Sexual harassment is defined in this survey as unwanted behaviours that a person may have experienced in their daily life in the last 12 months, which made the person feel offended, humiliated or intimidated. See Background Notes for further details.
² This refers to the 12 months prior to the respondent completing the Sexual Violence Survey.
³ Definitions for each type of experience of sexual harassment are detailed in the Background Notes. Persons may have experienced more than one type of harassment in one sexual harassment episode or in many episodes.
⁴ Please note data may not add to 100% due to rounding issues.
⁵ Remarks of a sexual nature online includes situations where crude or sexually explicit remarks were made to someone that they found offensive, humiliating or intimidating while they were online (including social media, dating apps, discussion boards.
⁶ Remarks of a sexual nature in person includes situations where crude or sexually explicit remarks were made to someone that they found offensive, humiliating or intimidating while in any other situation (not online), for example, in person, by text, phone call.
⁷ Sexual images or videos shared without the subject's permission includes scenarios where private sexual images or videos of the person were shared without their permission. It also includes cases where the person only became aware of historical images of themselves being shared without their permission if they were shared within the last 12 months.
⁸ Physical exposure by somebody includes cases where anyone exposed themselves physically to a person in a way that made them feel uncomfortable.
⁹This represents the proportion of respondents who did not answer the question. In this survey, respondents could move through the survey and not answer questions which they did not feel comfortable answering.
¹⁰ The age group category classifies the age the respondent was when they answered the survey.
¹¹Please note this includes not stated.
¹² See background notes for further details on marital status.
[ ] Figures in parentheses indicate percentages based on small numbers and are, therefore, subject to a wide margin of error.

Open in Excel: Sexual Violence Survey 2022 - Sexual Harassment Table 3.2 (XLS 16KB)

Table 3.3 Experience of sexual harassment in the previous 12 months by type of experience, 2022

Table 3.3 Experience of sexual harassment¹ in the previous 12 months² by type of experience^3,4, 2022
% of persons aged 18 years and over
	Type of sexual harassment experienced in the previous 12 months
	Exposure to sexually explicit images⁵			Inappropriate physical contact⁶			Inappropriate sexual advances			Any other sexual inappropriate behaviour
	Yes	No	Not stated⁷	Yes	No	Not stated⁷	Yes	No	Not stated⁷	Yes	No	Not stated⁷
State	5	89	6	9	84	7	7	86	7	7	86	8

Sex
Male	3	90	7	4	88	8	2	90	8	3	89	8
Female	7	87	6	15	79	7	12	82	7	11	82	7

Age group⁸
18-24	13	82	6	31	62	7	23	70	7	20	73	7
25-34	7	87	6	16	77	8	11	81	8	13	79	8
35-44	5	88	7	7	85	8	6	87	8	4	87	9
45-54	4	90	6	5	88	7	5	88	7	5	88	7
55-64	3	93	4	4	92	4	3	92	5	2	92	5
65 years and over	1	91	8	2	90	8	2	90	9	1	90	9

Highest level of education attained
Primary or below	3	86	11	2	87	11	2	84	14	2	86	12
Lower secondary	1	92	7	4	89	7	2	90	7	1	91	8
Higher secondary	6	87	7	14	79	8	10	83	7	9	84	7
Post leaving certificate	6	88	6	10	83	7	8	85	7	7	86	8
Third level	5	89	6	10	84	7	8	86	7	8	85	7

Principal Economic Status
Employed	6	90	4	10	85	5	7	87	5	7	87	5
Unemployed	4	88	8	12	80	8	12	79	9	9	82	9
Retired	1	92	7	1	92	7	1	92	8	1	92	8
Unable to work due to long-standing health problems	5	90	5	8	85	6	7	88	5	7	87	6
Student	11	86	3	32	64	4	24	72	4	18	77	5
Fulfilling domestic tasks	6	91	2	8	89	3	5	93	2	5	93	2
Other⁹	2	51	47	5	48	47	3	50	47	4	49	47

Citizenship
Irish	5	90	5	10	84	6	7	87	6	7	87	6
Non Irish	4	88	8	6	85	8	6	85	9	5	86	9

Marital status¹⁰
Single	8	85	7	19	73	8	14	77	8	14	78	8
Married	3	91	6	4	89	7	3	90	7	3	90	7
Widowed	2	92	6	4	93	3	3	91	5	1	93	6
Divorced or legally separated	4	90	6	9	82	9	5	85	9	6	87	7

Disability
Yes	7	88	5	13	82	5	10	84	6	9	85	6
No	4	92	4	8	88	5	6	90	4	6	89	5
Not stated	0	9	91	0	9	91	0	8	92	0	8	92

Ethnicity
White - Irish	5	90	5	10	85	6	7	87	6	7	87	6
White - Irish traveller /Roma /other	4	91	5	9	86	5	9	86	5	8	87	5
Black or Black Irish	[5]	[82]	[13]	[18]	[69]	[13]	[11]	[76]	[13]	[8]	[75]	[17]
Asian or Asian Irish	5	87	8	6	85	9	3	86	11	3	87	10
Other⁹ including mixed group /background	3	49	48	4	48	48	4	49	47	2	50	47

Sexual orientation
Heterosexual	4	90	6	8	85	6	6	87	6	6	87	7
Bisexual	23	72	5	38	56	7	31	64	5	31	64	5
Gay/lesbian	7	88	5	13	78	9	10	81	9	13	79	9
Other including asexual /questioning /unsure	7	80	12	17	69	14	10	74	16	9	75	15
Will not say /cannot say⁹	2	50	49	3	47	50	2	49	49	3	48	49
¹Sexual harassment is defined in this survey as unwanted behaviours that a person may have experienced in their daily life in the last 12 months, which made the person feel offended, humiliated or intimidated. See Background Notes for further details.
² This refers to the 12 months prior to the respondent completing the Sexual Violence Survey.
³ Definitions for each type of experience of sexual harassment are detailed in the Background Notes. Persons may have experienced more than one type of harassment in one sexual harassment episode or in many episodes.
⁴ Please note data may not add to 100% due to rounding issues.
⁵ Exposure to sexually explicit images includes instances where someone was exposed to sexually explicit pictures or photos that made them feel offended, humiliated or intimidated in their daily life in the last 12 months.
⁶ Inappropriate physical contact includes instances of physical contact, for example, touching, hugging or being in close proximity that made someone feel offended, humiliated or intimidated in their daily life in the last 12 months.
⁷This represents the proportion of respondents who did not answer the question. In this survey, respondents could move through the survey and not answer questions which they did not feel comfortable answering.
⁸ The age group category classifies the age the respondent was when they answered the survey.
⁹ Please note this includes not stated.
¹⁰ See background notes for further details on marital status.
[ ] Figures in parentheses indicate percentages based on small numbers and are, therefore, subject to a wide margin of error.

Open in Excel: Sexual Violence Survey 2022 - Sexual Harassment Table 3.3 (XLS 16KB)

Next chapter: Sexual Harassment - Details

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Sexual Violence Survey 2022 – Sexual Harassment

Overall Sexual Harassment

Overall Sexual Harassment

National Helplines

Overall sexual harassment experienced in the last 12 months

Half of young adults experienced sexual harassment in the last 12 months

Over one in 12 young adults experienced sexual images or videos of them being shared without their permission

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