The Right to Feel Safe: Tackling harassment
From the Neighbourhood Watch newsletter
Harassment can take many forms and anyone can be a victim. However, statistics show that women and girls are most likely to face harassment. Everyone can make a difference by safely intervening when witnessing harassment, or by offering support to victims and reporting incidents. Everyone has the right to live their lives without fear of harassment.
Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that for the year ending December 2023: One in ten people aged 16 years and over experienced at least one form of harassment that made them feel upset, distressed, or threatened in the previous 12 months.
Experiences of harassment were more prevalent among younger age groups. 41% of 16-24-year-olds experienced at least one type of harassment in the previous 12 months.
The majority of those who had experienced in-person harassment, experienced at least one type of harassment in a public space (73%).
Of those who had experienced any type of harassment in the last 12 months, 75% reported at least one experience took place in person. This was true for those who had experienced non-sexual harassment (83%) and for those who had experienced sexual harassment (67%).
These figures continue to remain high each year. This demonstrates the need for action to be taken to tackle this crime. We can all do something to make a difference and stop harassment.
1 Safely Intervening
We are calling on all adults in England and Wales to stand up against street harassment. There are many ways we can all do this safely irrespective of age, sexual orientation, gender, race, or ethnicity. Together we can make a difference. Visit www.ourwatch.org.uk/crime-prevention
2 Be an active bystander
Being an active bystander means being aware of when someone’s behaviour is inappropriate or threatening, and choosing to intervene and offer assistance safely. The simplest thing that we can all do is ask ‘are you okay?’ to someone experiencing harassment. It can make a big difference to those who experience harassment by letting them know you stand by them, and that street harassment is never okay.
When witnessing harassment, you can safely intervene using the 5Ds method –
Delay, Distract, Document, Delegate and Direct.
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