Sexual harassment: Why does the older generation still accept acts such as wolf whistling?

The topic of sexual harassment has been on everyone’s lips in recent weeks. After several women alleged that famed movie producer Harvey Weinstein had sexually harassed and/or assaulted them, a number of other famous men have been accused of the same.

Now, society is beginning to take a good hard look at itself and the way it views sexual harassment on the streets and in the workplace.

Government research body YouGov has conducted several polls looking at the issue to try and determine what people consider to be sexual harassment.

The latest poll asked 1,680 women of different ages a series of questions about sexual harassment.

First, respondents were asked whether they would consider 12 actions to be sexual harassment if carried out by a man to a woman who was not his friend or romantic partner.

All generations of women agreed that the more severe actions should be classed as sexual harassment with over 80% of participants naming upskirt photos, bum pinching and flashing as examples.

However, the most divisive form of harassment was wolf whistling. The practice saw very different opinions from the younger and older generations with 64% of 18 to 24-year-olds saying that whistling at a woman is always or usually sexual harassment.

Only 15% of women aged 55 and over said the same.

The same happened when it came to winking. Some 28% of 18 to 24-year-olds said it was harassment while only 6% of the over 55s agreed.

Men also showed a difference in opinion when it came to classing what is and isn’t sexual harassment. Looking at a woman’s breasts was considered harassment by 57% of women compared to 43% of men. Strangely enough, more men (45%) considered wolf whistling to be sexual harassment compared to 33% of women.

The poll also asked participants how they felt about each action. Wolf whistling proved to be the most divisive yet again. Almost three quarters of young women said it was inappropriate versus just over a fifth of women over 55.

In fact, 42% of women aged 55 and over said wolf whistling was acceptable and 27% even said they’d find it flattering.

With the news that men in France are to be fined on the spot for catcalling come 2018, it seems the younger generation will be the one to end sexual harassment once and for all.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for non-stop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyleUK.

Read more from Yahoo Style UK:

One in 10 women are sexually assaulted at work, reveals new study

What to do if you’re experiencing sexual harassment at work

Why are women being blamed for the Harvey Weinstein scandal?