Three-quarters of young women experienced sexual harassment in public in the past year
75 percent of young women in the Netherlands have experienced sexual harassment, ranging from catcalls to sexual assault, in the past year. They describe the perpetrators as men of all ages and ethnicities, EenVandaag found in a survey of almost 2,000 women under the age of 35.
Last year, the Netherlands criminalized sexual harassment on the street. Perpetrators face up to 3 months in prison or a fine of up to 10,000 euros. So far, 20 people have been convicted, according to figures EenVandaag received from the Judicial Council.
That number is tiny compared to the many thousands of young women experiencing sexual harassment every day.
33 percent of young women said that a man followed them at least once in the past year, 23 percent that a man molested them, and 15 percent reported a man making sexual movements toward them. 6 out of 10 had men catcall them, 46 percent had men shouting unpleasant statements at them, and 45 percent said men stared at them in a sexual manner.
55 percent of young women do not feel safe on the streets. At night, that increases to 64 percent.
The women stressed that these are not incidents. Men sexually harass women on a very regular basis. “Last week, I was harassed three times. I was followed at the station and in the supermarket,” one young woman said.
“I would like to say that I do not know a single friend, sister, cousin, or acquaintance who does not experience this. It is a bizarrely big problem,” another woman said.
Several women stressed that their harassers are men of any age, origin, and social class. “What I personally find very annoying is that in these polarized times, migrants are often referred to as ‘usual suspects.’ But all kinds of men sexually harass me. This is not a migrant problem, but a men’s problem.”
Only 4 percent of victims reported sexual harassment on the street to the police. Victims of serious offenses, including sexual assault and rape, are also hesitant to go to the police. Only 11 percent reported the assault.
Women often said they thought the police wouldn’t take them seriously or considered the chance too low of the perpetrator getting caught. “There was nothing to prove it because no one else was there, and it was months ago,” one woman said. “And it would have cost me a lot of time, energy, and reliving.”
Instead, women take their own measures to protect themselves. Three-quarters walk or cycle faster in the dark, half share their live location when they go out, and a quarter regularly pretend to be on the phone with someone. 41 percent walk with their keys between their fingers or carry another object that can serve as a weapon.
