One in five girls say they first experienced physical or sexual harassment before age 12
At least one in five girls in the UK experience physical or sexual abuse for the first time before the age of 12, according to a shocking new study.
Findings from girls’ rights charity Plan International UK also found that the vast majority of girls and young women aged 16 to 24 in the UK (87 per cent) had received unwanted comments about their appearance, such as scolding and intrusive remarks, and that such experiences were “normalised” in childhood.
It found that many young women have adapted their behavior accordingly, with almost three fifths (58 per cent) saying they have changed the way they dress to feel safe when out in public.
The charity, which released the data as part of its new campaign The Fine Print, warned the UK must do “much more” to tackle abuse against women and girls, especially as such threats increasingly come online.
Campaigners have said ongoing political uncertainty means the UK faces a “perfect storm” that threatens to halt or even reverse progress, as online harms against women and girls continue to soar.
Ealaf, 17, a member of Plan International’s Youth Advisory Panel, said: “The first time I was followed was a 10-year-old boy. And since he was one of my peers, unfortunately he wasn’t taken very seriously.
“I honestly can’t remember a time when I didn’t encounter unwanted comments about my appearance; it’s really disheartening to remember the experiences I’ve had, especially in institutions like schools.”
The girls surveyed also expressed the “unwritten rules” they were expected to accept; these include being polite or personable to avoid conflict (54 percent), being more mature than men (52 percent), and accepting unwanted comments or behavior as “normal” (46 percent).
Almost two-thirds (64 per cent) of parents say they are concerned about raising daughters in today’s climate, pointing to broader concerns about safety, equality and the environment in which girls grow up.
Rose Caldwell, chief executive of Plan International UK, said the findings showed how “normalised” harassment had become.
“Girls are often told that gender equality has been achieved, that it has even gone too far,” she said. “Today’s findings tell a very different story and reveal the daily reality of the inequality that girls and young women still face.
“What is particularly worrying is how normalized this has become. Many girls have told us that abuse starts as early as primary school, and that this shapes how they dress, behave and move in the world from a young age.”
“Significant progress has been made, including the criminalization of sexual harassment in public, which came into force this year after years of campaigning, but much more needs to be done to protect girls and young women from harm, especially online.
“In a climate of political uncertainty, we face a perfect storm that threatens to stall or even reverse hard-won gains. Together we can change the conditions under which girls are born. It’s time to take gender inequality seriously and make sure we don’t lose the progress already made.”
It comes after figures were published showing one in four girls have been given derogatory names online or on social media, with children’s charity Barnardo’s warning that misogyny has become “an everyday part of childhood”.
Labor unveiled its long-delayed strategy to address violence against women and girls (VAWG) at the end of last year, promising it would be taken as seriously as the fight against terrorism and organized crime and describing it as a “national emergency”. £1 billion will be invested by the government over the next three years.
The government has been contacted for further comment.
