Inappropriate Sexual or Harassing Behaviours in Canada, 2018
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Description: Inappropriate Sexual or Harassing Behaviours in Canada, 2018
Inappropriate Sexual or Harassing Behaviours in Canada, 2018
Unwanted sexual behaviours in public include:
- Unwanted physical contact
- Indecent exposure
- Unwanted sexual attention (such as whistles, catcalls, or comments)
- Comments about sex, gender, or sexual orientation
All are forms of gender-based violence.
Almost 1 in 3 women and just over 1 in 8 men 15 years of age and older felt unsafe or uncomfortable due to unwanted sexual behaviour they experienced.
| Gender | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Women | 32% |
| Men | 13% |
1 in 4 women and 1 in 15 men experienced unwanted sexual attention in public. This was the most common type of unwanted sexual behaviour.
Among those individuals who experienced this behaviour in the past 12 months:
- The perpetrator was usually a male stranger. 75% of women and 47% of men who experienced unwanted sexual behaviour stated this.
- 1 in 10 women and men said that the most serious instance took place on public transit. This represented 629,000 women and 211,000 men.
- About half of women and men changed their behaviour due to their experience. This included altering their routines, actions, or the way they look or act in public.
18% of women and 14% of men experienced some form of harassment while online or using a smartphone.
The two most common harassing behaviours experienced online were:
- Being sent unwanted sexually suggestive or explicit images or messages
- Being sent threatening or aggressive emails or personal messages
| Women | Men | |
|---|---|---|
| Being sent unwanted sexually suggestive or explicit images or messages | 11% | 6% |
| Being sent threatening or aggressive emails or personal messages | 10% | 8% |
Of all Internet users, 28% of women and 19% of men blocked other users, deleted their own account, or restricted their Internet use to protect themselves from harassment.
For more information, see the full Juristat article: "Gender-based violence and unwanted sexual behaviour in Canada, 2018."
Source: Survey of Safety in Public and Private Spaces, 2018.
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