public sexual harassment:

presenter notes
Requirements:
• You will need to have downloaded the presentation to the computer that you are using.

Presentation:
1. About this Resource
This resource has been created by Safeguarding Network to support DSLs to train teachers to
tackle public sexual harassment, as part of a partnership with Our Streets Now.

Safeguarding Network aims to increase the confidence of professionals who deal with
safeguarding issues daily. They provide training resources and other materials.

Our Streets Now is a national campaign to end public sexual harassment. They provide
resources for teachers, including lesson plans, and workshop opportunities for pupils.
https://www.ourstreetsnow.org/our-schools

2. Globally, ‘harassment and the threat of

harassment can have serious implications for girls’
freedom, autonomy and perceived safety.’ [Source:
Public sexual harassment Plan International UK]
safeguarding children refresher

Research has identified that a lack of safety and

cultural norms often limit and dictate when and
where girls can travel around their city. This plays
on and escalates fears resulting in cities having no
go areas for girls and their families. Whilst there
are local groups aiming to address this (for
example Plan International are working in
Nottinghamshire to record misogynistic incidents
as hate crime and Police and transport authorities
in London are working to increase reporting of
unwanted sexual behaviour on public transport, it
is the reality for the majority.

Other identity characteristics like race or sexual

orientation intersect with gender meaning girls
experience harassment differently. PSH is a
particular issue for girls as harassment and the
behaviours that allow it to occur often start from a
young age and are likely to be experienced more
frequently by adolescent girls and younger women
than by older women or their male peers.

https://safeguarding.network/psh
confidence in safeguarding
3. This section will include looking at which groups
are especially vulnerable, potential indicators and
what to do if you have concerns.
what is public sexual
harassment?

4. What is Public Sexual Harassment?

Public Sexual Harassment (PSH for short) is part of gender-
based violence. It comprises unwelcomed and unwanted
attention, sexual advances and intimidating behaviour that
occurs in public spaces, both in person and online. It is
usually directed towards girls, women and often oppressed
groups within society. However, it can be experienced by all.
Our Streets Now
Most of the statistics we will talk about concern
the experiences of women and girls as they are
disproportionately the targets of PSH. However,
the experiences of men and boys should not be
invalidated or taken less seriously. In a culture
where boys are traditionally supposed to be able
take care of themselves, when PSH occurs, it can
be detrimentally impactful to a boy or man too.
Transgender people also experience alarmingly
high rates of harassment, misogyny and
transphobia in public.

[Source: Rt Hon Maria Miller MP ‘Prevalence and

reporting of sexual harassment in UK public
spaces: A Report by the All-Party Parliamentary
Group (AAPG) for UN Women to support UN
Women’s work in the UK. The APPG’s first aim was
to promote and advance the UN’s Safe Spaces
Now campaign.]

It is now accepted that women have a right to feel

safe in their daily lives. It is commonly accepted
they should feel safe from sexual harassment.
However, still too frequently, the experiences of
those who are subject to harassment and abuse
continue to be covered up, diminished, ignored
and/or normalised. A government report theorises
that only by strengthening reporting systems and
increasing trust in their efficacy can we challenge
and change the current societal culture of ignoring
and or accepting this form of abuse.

Charities such as Our Streets Now and Plan

International are also working to further a catalyst
for positive change so that women and girls will be
empowered to have greater confidence to report
incidents of abuse and for those reports to be
acted upon and to have a preventative effect in
future with the outcome of safer public spaces.
https://safeguarding.network/psh
confidence in safeguarding
 Public space can mean any of public transport
(e.g., buses, trains, etc.), hospitality venues (e.g.,
pubs, clubs, bars, etc.), public events (e.g.,
concerts, sports games, festivals, etc.), streets,
parks, commons and other public recreational
spaces and online spaces (e.g., social media) [UN
Women UK’s 2021 YouGov survey].

It excludes place of work or study (e.g., school,

college, university etc.) – although recent studies
show that workplace harassment continues to be
an issue for women working from home, and for
some has even worsened (Rights of Women,
2021). The survey found that 71% of women of all
ages have experienced some form of sexual
harassment in a public space, revealing that other
studies may have underestimated the prevalence
of sexual harassment in public spaces. This
highlights the scope of the issue that women face
today. It must be noted that 8% of women said
they “don’t know”, “prefer not to say” or “chose not
to answer”, suggesting the actual level could be
slightly higher than 71%.

5. What might public sexual harassment look These are some of the indicators that learners may
like? be being sexually harassed.
• Sexual comments
• Being groped, grabbed or flashed at in public
• Sexual jokes or taunting
• Sexual comments can include telling sexual
• Online harassment stories, making lewd comments, making sexual
• Upskirting
remarks about clothes and appearance and
calling someone sexualised names.

• Physical behaviour may include deliberately

brushing against someone, interfering with
someone’s clothes, displaying pictures, photos
or drawings of a sexual nature, grabbing
another’s genitalia or breasts.

• Online harassment can include non-consensual

sharing of sexual images, unwanted sexual
comments and messages, including on social
media and sexual exploitation, coercion and
threats.

• Upskirting – ‘Upskirting’ typically involves taking

a picture under a person’s clothing without them
https://safeguarding.network/psh
confidence in safeguarding
 knowing, with the intention of viewing their
genitals or buttocks to obtain sexual
gratification, or cause the victim humiliation,
distress or alarm. It is now a criminal offence
and may constitute sexual harassment.

6. Consent is a crucial, and we need to have a shared

“
Consent
understanding as to what is meant by consent.
Sexual intercourse without consent is rape. Public
Consent is about having the freedom
and capacity to choose.
sexual harassment is not something we consent

”
to.
No child can consent to their own abuse.
Keeping Children Safe in Education

What happens to people’s perception of whether

consent is required when they sexually harass
someone? Once again it is important that we think
of framing and culture – if something is termed as
a prank, harmless fun or a laugh, then we are less
likely to think that consent is required as the belief
is that no harm was done, and the other person will
hopefully also see the funny side. This then
negates any thought about how intrusive or
degrading the act may be. If, however we think of
sexual harassment as an invasion of personal
space, then we would automatically be assuming
consent is required, in the same way you would
look for agreement to hug someone. It is also not
just limited to acts, sexualised comments and
jokes are an invasion of personal space in much
the same way and can have significant impact,
however if the culture within your setting is one
that does not challenge such acts and they are
accepted as harmless, this will influence how we
think and therefore the support that we provide (or
do not provide).

https://safeguarding.network/psh
confidence in safeguarding
7. Public sexual harassment An initial study carried out by Our Streets Now of
over 150 secondary school pupils and recent
school leavers identified that the majority would
not report their experiences of PSH to their school
or college. This was due to a fear that their school
would not take them seriously with only a quarter
www.ourstreetsnow.org
knowing how to report an incident.

Out of the 41 learners they spoke to who had

reported something or knew of a person who had,
only 7 “described a vaguely positive or positive
response”, in essence less than 20%. Others
reported nothing being done, their report being
dismissed or laughed off, or action being taken
that made the situation worse.

Although a small study, if we consider this in the

context that 2 out 3 girls receive unwanted sexual
attention in public, then out of a class of 30 girls
and young women, at least 20 will have been a
victim of some form of harassment. If they all
reported their experience, then only 4 of them
would potentially receive a positive response. If,
however, you take the statistic that almost 50%
would not report an incident, then the number who
receive a positive response drops to 2.

The recent Ofsted Review June 2021 (and

subsequent changes to Keeping Children Safe in
Education 2021) into Sexual Abuse in Schools and
Colleges backed this up, finding that girls reported
often feeling unsafe and uncomfortable in public
spaces, both due to sexual harassment from peers
and from strangers in parks, side streets and on
public transport. They found that, while leaders
understood the continuum of harmful sexual
behaviour, not all of them share this knowledge
with their staff. They recommend more scheduled
time for DSLs to deliver training.

Reviews by universities and an All-Party

Parliamentary Group identified that sexual violence
and sexual harassment is common within schools,
both primary and secondary. The experience of
staff in secondary schools is that children as young
as Year 7’s come into the school and quickly start
making sexualised comments about others. The
https://safeguarding.network/psh
confidence in safeguarding

8.
what to look for…
How public sexual harassment affects learners
9. The impact of PSH
• Changes to self-esteem and view of world
• Experiencing a range of emotions
• Developing avoidance and self protection techniques
• Having to overcome barriers to reporting
https://safeguarding.network/psh
confidence in safeguarding
evidence suggests that the groundwork is laid
whilst the children are in primary school meaning
that it needs to be addressed in both primary and
secondary settings, with work around healthy
relationships being integral from nursery and
reception (e.g., teaching children how to play
together and interact respectfully).
This section will include looking at which groups
are especially vulnerable, potential indicators and
what to do if you have concerns.
Studies have shown that more than 80% of
women aged 18-34 having experienced some form
of sexual harassment in a public space with just
3% of 18–24-year-olds reporting that they had
never experienced any of the forms of sexual
harassment they were asked about. An Amnesty
International survey in 2017 found that 21% of
women had experienced online abuse, of which
27% received threats of physical or sexual
violence, 47% received sexist or misogynistic
comments, and 69% received generally abusive
language or comments. More than half of the
women who had experienced abuse or
harassment experienced stress, anxiety, or panic
attacks as a direct result.
A study by Plan International UK found that 80% of
parents spoken to said they worried their
daughters would experience public sexual
harassment during their lifetime, with one in 10
believing their daughters younger than 11 years
old would be targeted. Four in 10 parents said they
had asked their daughters not to go out after dark
or take certain routes, while two-thirds said they
had instructed them not to walk home alone after a
certain time. This is echoed in direct reports from
individuals who state they will plan escape routes,
not travel at certain times of the day, take
alternative routes home, remain constantly alert.
 Victims of PSH report feeling embarrassed,
ashamed, disorientated and confused, trying to
work out why them and if for example they were
groped in a public place who it was who did it,
angry and helpless but then blaming themselves
for allowing it to happen and not taking steps to
keep themselves safe.

PSH is never the fault of the person who

experiences it; however, individuals report a range
of techniques to avoid PSH including pretending
they are on the phone (some report using a
screenshot or a phone call to reinforce this
impression), wearing headphones without sound
so they can pretend they cannot hear, cite a
fictional person as being someone they are on the
way to meet, change appearance.

The 2021 YouGov survey found that over 50% of

women experiencing any of the categories of
sexual harassment did not report the incident
because they did not believe it was serious enough
to report and 45% of women did not report the
incident because they did not think it would help.
Other barriers include not believing reporting was
worth the hassle, fear of not being believed, fear of
retaliation, concerns about anonymity. This echoes
the finding of the 2021 Ofsted review into sexual
violence and sexual harassment in schools and
colleges and reinforces the need for our setting to
have a culture where disclosing is seen and known
to be safe and of benefit to do and these barriers
are removed.

10. Who experiences PSH? Anyone can be a victim of sexual harassment

• Boys can be targeted
• more likely that girls will be victims of PSH
• children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
(SEND) are more vulnerable
• children who are LGBTQ+ or who are perceived to be.
and/or sexual violence, and in the majority of cases
the root causes can be traced back to underlying
societal issues such as misogyny, homophobia
and racism to name a few.

Research suggests that girls are more likely to be

victims of sexual violence but this does not mean
that the experience of boys should be ignored, as
they may be even less likely to report what is
happening to them due to feelings of shame and a
perceived view that as a male they would be
https://safeguarding.network/psh
confidence in safeguarding
 stigmatised if they spoke out and should not admit
they have become a victim of PSH. As we have
seen throughout this presentation, whether boys
feel able to talk about what is happening for them
may be linked to protective factors they might
have in their e.g. parents/carers but disrupted by
the norms and values of society. Whether they feel
they can report PSH against them depends on
their confidence in their male identity, someone
they can speak in confidence to and the strength
of the reporting and safeguarding culture of the
setting. Research on male identity still notes that
men are not supposed to cry or to share their
feelings to the degree that women are permitted
to from birth.

Research from Plan-UK (2021) identifies that

“Gender intersects with other identity
characteristics, such as sexuality, gender identity,
disability, ethnicity and immigration status, to
produce unique experiences of violence.”

Children with SEND are therefore more vulnerable

as they can face additional barriers, including
adults making assumptions that potential
indicators of abuse such as behavioural issues,
changes in mood and injuries relate to their
additional needs without further exploration. The
needs of the children may be such that they can be
disproportionately impacted by bullying and
harassment but not show any outward emotional
signs of the trauma they have experienced.
Children with SEND may also be less likely to talk
about what is happening to them as they see it as
a requirement to allow them to fit in with the wider
group.

LGBTQ+ children can often be marked out as

different and this can make them a target for
abuse and violence, with almost all LGBTQ+ girls
and young women surveyed reporting that they
have experienced public sexual harassment.

Learners from different races and cultures to the

prevailing race or culture describe experiencing
racialised sexual harassment and experience all
types of sexual harassment more frequently.
https://safeguarding.network/psh
confidence in safeguarding
 Harassment can be based on racialised
stereotypes of communities that children are
perceived to belong to.

The solution to the problem is therefore not

looking at the superficial solutions such as getting
girls to wear longer skirts or having better street
lighting, but educating individuals about issues
such as personal space, individual rights and
freedoms and consent.

11. Now, we will look at what we can do as an

organisation to raise awareness of PSH and how to
What should be work to eliminate it.
done?

12. what do we need to do as an organisation? The first requirement on us as an organisation is to

• model healthy and respectful relationships
• challenge inappropriate behaviour and language
• child protection procedures are the same
• don’t dismiss it
• PSH may have a long term impact so it may need long
term support
model the behaviour that we expect and to
educate the children in this way. Our interaction
with children and young people should consider
issues such as what healthy and respectful
relationships are, what it is to be respectful to
others, what is meant by consent and the
importance of consent, the negative impact of
gender stereotyping along with issues around
body confidence and self-esteem. We should as
adults create a culture where sexual violence and
harassment of any kind is always seen as wrong,
where the expectation is that it is addressed
immediately but that there is the opportunity for
discussion and for things to be talked through.

If you have concerns about a someone being a

victim of sexual violence or public sexual
harassment or a child discloses to you, you do not
need to follow any special procedure – the
procedure is the same as for any other
safeguarding concern in terms of the first steps of
reporting to the DSL or their deputy wherever
possible or, if necessary, referring directly to
Children’s Services.

https://safeguarding.network/psh
confidence in safeguarding
13. Responding to a report …
• Even if “It’s probably nothing…”, it could be something.
• Do not assume someone else is dealing with the matter.
• Follow safeguarding procedures.
• Reassure victims.
• Do not promise confidentiality.
https://safeguarding.network/psh
confidence in safeguarding
As with all disclosures of abuse or harm, it is
important that we listen to what is being said and
that this is passed on to the Designated
Safeguarding Lead or their deputy immediately.
There should be no assumption that someone else
will pick it up or deal with it and it does not matter
if you are the second or third person to report it, it
is better that it is reported multiple times than for
something to be missed.
Victims (recognising that they may not see
themselves as such or want to be called victims)
should be reassured that they are being taken
seriously and that the organisation will do
everything it can to support them and keep them
safe. They should never be able to form the view
that they are creating a problem by reporting an
incident of sexual violence or sexual harassment or
feel ashamed that they have been a victim.
As with any disclosure, we cannot promise
confidentiality, we should be non-judgemental, not
ask leading questions and make a clear and
thorough record of the facts as told by the
child/young person.
It is important that if you are told of the existence
of any online images, you should not view or
distribute these in any way as you can be
committing an offence in doing so.
So, what happens after you have passed the
information on? On receiving a report, the risks
that are present will be assessed and any action to
ensure that the victim is kept safe will be
considered, along with a decision about what
should happen next. This will take into account the
wishes of the victim, the nature of the alleged
incident, who was involved (e.g., age, level of
understanding) whether there is a power
imbalance and whether this is part of a wider
pattern or a one off. The wider picture will also be
considered (contextual safeguarding). As a setting
reports of PSH will be monitored as there may be
specific locations where it is pervasive and needs
input from the police.
14. Priorities for change Boys can and do generate positive change.
• Listen to girls International evidence shows that involving boys
• Girls need the right to report and support
• Local services
and young men is key to challenging and ending all
• Boys and men can generate change if shown how to forms of violence against women and girls. Boys
• Dedicated time and capacity in both education and youth settings
• Gender equality and young men need to be supported to change
• Build a picture of what is happening in your school/college/area
negative attitudes where they exist, develop
knowledge and increase awareness of the impact
of harassment. Rather than being bystanders, they
need support to challenge their peers and be able
to respond positively when girls disclose
experiences to them. Such work requires
dedicated time and capacity in both education and
youth settings, via professionals including
teachers and other experts who are trained to
work from principles of gender equality.

Our Streets Now and Plan International argue that

Government – national, devolved and local – must
explicitly recognise street harassment as a form of
gender-based violence and commit to tackling it
through budgets and strategies such as those
relating to public transport, town planning, the
night-time economy, as well as through its
obligations under national and international law.
We must recognise that harassment is
disproportionately directed towards girls and is
experienced in different ways by LGBTIQ+ and
BAME girls. Young people need comprehensive
relationships and sex education. Specifically, boys
would benefit from education on gender roles and
masculinity that addresses respect, consent, and
the nature of gender-based violence in both
intimate relationships and interactions with
strangers. Space and time should be given to help
young people understand the impact of sexual
harassment in public places. Following the
Government’s announcement regarding the
requirement for relationships and sex education as
part of the curriculum, this is an ideal time to get
the content of such lessons right and meet the
needs of young people who are asking educators
and policy makers for change.

We also need to understand the scale of the

problem, with Plan International setting out that
Police and Crime Commissioners should take a
lead in national data collection to measure not only
https://safeguarding.network/psh
confidence in safeguarding
 the scale and nature of sexual harassment,
including public harassment, but also the impact.

15. Discourse of those in authority OPTIONAL EXERCISE

the girl has to walk all the way around,

change how she dresses…but it’s
Language is important. This exercise can be used
never like, ‘boys, let’s have a to start a conversation about how your setting can
discussion about how not to harass
women’. create the right culture in a fair manner.
Discuss

Consider what girls have been reported:

• Adults often fail to recognise girls’ reality.

• Invalidate their experiences with their reactions
to public sexual harassment.
• Those in positions of authority such as parents,
carers and teachers tend to give girls advice on
how to ‘stay safe’ rather than asking boys and
men what they can do to help girls and women
to feel safe.

Research has shown adults have ‘often failed to

recognise girls’ reality or invalidated their
experiences with the way they reacted when they
were told about experiences of street harassment.
Those in positions of authority or care, such as
parents, carers or teachers, were those most likely
to give girls advice on how to ‘stay safe’, with their
messages centring around what to wear, how to
behave, where to go, who with and at what times.
Girls were very clear that there were gender
differences between how they were spoken to
about safety and how their male peers were. Girls
felt that all this was deeply unfair and placed the
responsibility on them to avoid harassment rather
than telling those who harassed them to stop.

Even if teachers and other professionals may have

learnt to minimise and or normalise their own
experiences of PSH, it is important to avoid
implying to pupils that harassment is an inevitable

https://safeguarding.network/psh
confidence in safeguarding
 part of growing up. PSH is not ok. It is not the fault
of the victim, and they need to be reassured of
that.

Further Resources Our Streets Now and Safeguarding Network offer

Our Streets Now offers lesson plans and resources on public
shared resources on public sexual harassment
sexual harassment which can be downloaded for free : which are free to download.
https://www.ourstreetsnow.org/our-schools

Safeguarding Network also offers free materials on public

sexual harassment and with further resources on safeguarding
topics available for members.

keep learning
for more information visit
https://safeguarding.network/sexual-harassment
https://www.ourstreetsnow.org/our-schools

Comments / Feedback:
We welcome your comments and feedback and will use these to help improve the services that
we provide. Please email us at contact@safeguarding.network.

https://safeguarding.network/psh
confidence in safeguarding