Survey Discloses: 40% of Women Encounter or Observe Sexual Harassment on Social Media Platforms…
Key Findings:
One out of every five women, accounting for 20.8%, has personally endured sexual harassment on various social media platforms. Approximately 39.7% of women have either experienced or witnessed sexual harassment online within the realm of social media. Among female social media users who encountered sexual harassment, a staggering 57% reported experiencing it on Facebook and Facebook Messenger. Regarding the nature of the harassment, 79% of affected women received unwelcome messages and/or sexual comments. An alarming 68.2% of the surveyed 3,000 women who actively use social media expressed dissatisfaction with social media companies’ efforts in safeguarding users.
Introduction & Survey Objectives
SellCell, a leading online mobile phone price comparison site, in collaboration with OnePoll, conducted a comprehensive survey to investigate the issue of online sexual harassment targeting women on social media platforms. The survey, administered to 3,000 women in the UK who actively engage with social media and related apps, aimed to gauge the prevalence of sexual harassment experiences among women and examine their perceptions regarding the protective measures taken by social media platforms.
Main Survey Results
(Please note that the questions and answers contain sensitive content)
Among the 3,000 UK women who responded to the survey and actively use social media, 40% confirmed they had either experienced or witnessed sexual harassment on social media platforms or apps. Out of the total respondents, 21% disclosed their personal experiences with sexual harassment on social media platforms or apps. Within this group, 57% reported that their encounters with sexual harassment occurred on Facebook or Facebook Messenger. Of those who experienced harassment, 79% received unsolicited sexual comments or messages. When confronted with sexual harassment on social media, 76% of women took action by blocking the offender or offenders. Approximately 32% of victims noted that the long-term effects of social media sexual harassment included feelings of violation and/or intimidation. Among the 2,342 respondents who had not experienced sexual harassment on social media, the majority (69%) attributed their safety to their careful selection process when choosing whom to follow or accept as friends. A significant 68.2% of the surveyed female social media users agreed that social media platforms do not invest enough effort in protecting individuals from online sexual harassment.
Summary of Survey Questions
SellCell and OnePoll posed the following questions to 3,000 UK women who actively use social media, regarding their experiences with sexual harassment on social media platforms and applications. Content advisory: Some survey questions and responses contain sensitive and/or sexual language.
Question 1) Which of the following statements best describes your experience with sexual harassment through a social media platform or app?
The survey inquired 3,000 UK women who actively use social media, “Which of the following statements best describes your experience with sexual harassment through a social media platform or app?” Among the respondents, 39.7% (1,190) acknowledged either personal experiences with sexual harassment or witnessing such incidents on social media platforms or apps. Moreover, 20.8% (624) of the total respondents admitted to personally enduring sexual harassment on social platforms or applications, leaving the remaining 79.2% who have not experienced such harassment.
Question 2) (If you have never personally experienced sexual harassment through a social media platform or application) Why do you think you have avoided personally experiencing sexual harassment on social media? [Select all that apply]
In response to this question, 69% (1,605) of the 2,342 women who have not personally experienced sexual harassment on social media attributed their safety to their meticulousness in selecting whom they follow or accept friend requests from. Additionally, 42% of respondents keep their social media accounts private to avoid harassment, while 41% refrain from sharing much about themselves due to a lack of trust in platform security. Furthermore, 32% use social media solely for staying updated with news and activities rather than socializing, and 5% limit their social media use to work or business purposes.
Question 3) (If you have personally experienced sexual harassment through a social media platform or application) On which social media platforms/apps have you personally experienced sexual harassment? [Select all that apply]
Among the 624 women who reported personal experiences with sexual harassment on social media, 57% identified Facebook and/or Facebook Messenger as the platforms or apps where they were most likely to face harassment. Additionally, 37% of these women cited Instagram as the source, while 26% attributed their experiences to dating apps like Tinder or Hinge. Interestingly, 4% of the respondents fell victim to online sexual harassment on LinkedIn, a professional networking platform.
Question 4) (If you have personally experienced sexual harassment through a social media platform or application) What types of sexual harassment have you personally experienced on social media platforms/apps? [Select all that apply]
An overwhelming majority of 79% of those who encountered sexual harassment on social media reported unwelcome sexual comments or messages as the primary form of harassment.
Furthermore, 59% of victims received friend requests or invitations from strangers, leading to discomfort.
48% of those targeted stated that the offender sent them pornographic photos or videos.
9% of victims faced threats of sexual violence as a form of online social media sexual harassment.
Question 5) (If you have personally experienced sexual harassment through a social media platform or application) When you personally experienced sexual harassment on social media, did you report this to anyone/take any action? [Select all that apply]
Of the 624 women who confirmed being sexually harassed on social media, 76% took action by blocking the individuals responsible for the harassment. 42% of the respondents reported the offender to the respective social media app or platform. 5% escalated the matter to the police, while regrettably, 11% did not take any action, knowing that the platform, app, or police would not respond to the issue.
Question 6) (If you have personally experienced sexual harassment through a social media platform or application) Which, if any, long-term effects have you experienced as a result of the online sexual harassment you encountered? [Select all that apply]
Of the women who confirmed experiencing sexual harassment in question one, 32% expressed feeling violated and/or intimidated due to their experiences. 21% stated that the sexual harassment caused them to doubt their personal appearance, while 19% reported suffering from anxiety as a consequence. The sexual harassment negatively impacted the current intimate relationships of 10% of victims, and 3% reported detrimental effects on their careers.
Question 7) (All respondents) Which of the following statements best describes your experience with sexual harassment through a social media platform or app?
An overwhelming majority of 68.2% (2,045 women) among the 3,000 respondents expressed dissatisfaction with social media companies’ actions against sexual harassment on their platforms or applications. Only 7.8% believed that social media companies are doing enough to combat sexual harassment, while 24.0% of respondents remained uncertain about the adequacy of these companies’ measures to protect female users from harassment.
To access the full report, please visit: (https://www.sellcell.com/blog/social-media-sexual-harrassment-survey-2023/)
