Table 1.
Rates and forms of sexual harassment in male and female students stratified by age group
| 18–23 years (n=31 118) | 24–29 years (n=15 584) | 30–35 years (n=2640) | All age groups (n=49 342) | |||||||||||||
| Lifetime (95% CI) | Past year (95% CI) | Lifetime (95% CI) | Past year (95% CI) | Lifetime (95% CI) | Past year (95% CI) | Lifetime (95% CI) | Past year (95% CI) | |||||||||
| Women (34 437) | ||||||||||||||||
| Any sexual harassment | 31.4 | (30.8 to 32.0) | 23.2 | (22.6 to 23.7) | 32.1 | (31.2 to 33.0) | 19.7 | (18.9 to 20.5) | 25.1 | (23.0 to 27.1) | 12.1 | (10.5 to 13.6) | 31.3 | (30.8 to 31.8) | 21.6 | (21.2 to 22.0) |
| Verbal: sexual expressions, suggestions and so on | 19.7 | (19.2 to 20.3) | 14.4 | (13.9 to 14.9) | 22.4 | (21.5 to 23.2) | 13.3 | (12.6 to 13.9) | 18.9 | (17.0 to 20.7) | 8.5 | (7.1 to 9.8) | 20.5 | (20.0 to 20.9) | 13.8 | (13.4 to 14.1) |
| Non-verbal: intrusive eye or body movements | 15.3 | (14.9 to 15.8) | 11.5 | (11.1 to 11.9) | 16.3 | (15.820 to 16.8) | 9.9 | (9.3 to 10.5) | 13.7 | (12.1 to 15.4) | 5.9 | (4.7 to 7.0) | 15.6 | (15.2 to 15.9) | 10.7 | (10.4 to 11.1) |
| Non-verbal: viewing/sending sexual images | 4.6 | (4.3 to 4.8) | 2.8 | (2.6 to 3.0) | 5.3 | (4.8 to 5.7) | 2.5 | (2.2 to 2.8) | 6.2 | (5.7 to 6.7) | 2.8 | (2.0 to 3.6) | 4.9 | (4.6 to 5.1) | 2.7 | (2.5 to 2.9) |
| Non-verbal: indecent exposure | 1.8 | (1.6 to 1.9) | 0.6 | (0.6 to 0.7) | 3.0 | (2.7 to 3.4) | 0.8 | (0.6 to 0.9) | 3.9 | (3.6 to 4.3) | 0.3 | (0.1 to 0.6) | 2.3 | (2.1 to 2.4) | 0.7 | (0.6 to 0.7) |
| Physical: unwanted touching, kissing and so on | 20.0 | (19.5 to 20.5) | 12.4 | (12.1 to 12.8) | 20.5 | (19.8 to 21.3) | 9.1 | (8.5 to 9.6) | 17.5 | (16.8 to 18.2) | 5.2 | (4.1 to 6.2) | 20.0 | (19.6 to 20.4) | 11.1 | (10.7 to 11.4) |
| Physical: rape attempt | 2.5 | (2.3 to 2.7) | 0.5 | (0.4 to 0.6) | 3.5 | (3.1 to 3.9) | 0.3 | (0.2 to 0.4) | 3.5 | (3.2 to 3.9) | 0.2 | (0.0 to 0.4) | 2.9 | (2.7 to 3.0) | 0.4 | (0.4 to 0.5) |
| Physical: rape | 4.2 | (3.9 to 4.4) | 0.5 | (0.5 to 0.6) | 5.5 | (5.0 to 5.9) | 0.4 | (0.3 to 0.6) | 6.4 | (5.9 to 6.8) | 0.2 | (0.0 to 0.4) | 4.7 | (4.4 to 4.9) | 0.5 | (0.4 to 0.6) |
| Men (n=15 399) | ||||||||||||||||
| Any sexual harassment | 7.9 | (7.3 to 8.4) | 6.0 | (5.5 to 6.5) | 8.5 | (7.7 to 9.2) | 5.6 | (5.0 to 6.2) | 6.5 | (4.9 to 8.1) | 3.7 | (2.4 to 4.9) | 8.0 | (7.6 to 8.4) | 5.7 | (5.4 to 6.1) |
| Verbal: sexual expressions, suggestions and so on | 3.6 | (3.2 to 4.0) | 2.7 | (2.3 to 3.0) | 4.4 | (3.8 to 4.9) | 2.9 | (2.5 to 3.4) | 3.8 | (2.5 to 5.0) | 2.3 | (1.4 to 3.3) | 3.9 | (3.6 to 4.2) | 2.7 | (2.5 to 3.0) |
| Non-verbal: intrusive eye or body movements | 1.8 | (1.6 to 2.1) | 1.4 | (1.2 to 1.7) | 2.5 | (2.2 to 2.9) | 1.8 | (1.4 to 2.1) | 2.6 | (1.5 to 3.6) | 1.6 | (0.7 to 2.4) | 2.1 | (1.9 to 2.4) | 1.6 | (1.4 to 1.8) |
| Non-verbal: viewing/sending sexual images | 1.1 | (0.9 to 1.3) | 0.8 | (0.6 to 1.0) | 1.1 | (0.9 to 1.4) | 0.9 | (0.7 to 1.2) | 1.2 | (0.9 to 1.5) | 0.2 | (0.1 to 0.5) | 1.1 | (0.9 to 1.3) | 0.8 | (0.7 to 1.0) |
| Non-verbal: indecent exposure | 0.4 | (0.2 to 0.5) | 0.3 | (0.2 to 0.4) | 0.4 | (0.2 to 0.5) | 0.2 | (0.1 to 0.3) | 0.1 | (0.0 to 0.2) | 0.0 | (0.0 to 0.0) | 0.3 | (0.2 to 0.4) | 0.2 | (0.2 to 0.3) |
| Physical: unwanted touching, kissing and so on | 5.1 | (4.6 to 5.5) | 3.7 | (3.4 to 4.0) | 5.2 | (4.6 to 5.8) | 3.0 | (2.5 to 3.4) | 4.1 | (3.6 to 4.6) | 1.9 | (1.0 to 2.8) | 5.1 | (4.7 to 5.4) | 3.3 | (3.0 to 3.6) |
| Physical: rape attempt | 0.2 | (0.1 to 0.3) | 0.1 | (0.1 to 0.2) | 0.4 | (0.2 to 0.5) | 0.1 | (0.0 to 0.1) | 0.2 | (0.1 to 0.3) | 0.0 | NA | 0.3 | (0.2 to 0.4) | 0.1 | (0.0 to 0.1) |
| Physical: rape | 0.3 | (0.2 to 0.4) | 0.1 | (0.1 to 0.2) | 0.4 | (0.3 to 0.6) | 0.0 | (0.0 to 0.1) | 0.7 | (0.5 to 0.9) | 0.0 | NA | 0.4 | (0.3 to 0.5) | 0.1 | (0.0 to 0.1) |
| Incidence rate ratio†, IRR (95% CI)* | ||||||||||||||||
| Any sexual harassment | 4.0 | (3.7 to 4.3) | 3.9 | (3.5 to 4.2) | 3.8 | (3.4 to 4.1) | 3.5 | (3.1 to 3.9) | 3.9 | (3.0 to 5.0) | 3.3 | (2.3 to 4.7) | 3.9 | (3.7 to 4.1) | 3.8 | (3.5 to 4.0) |
| Verbal: sexual expressions, suggestions and so on | 5.5 | (5.0 to 6.2) | 5.4 | (4.7 to 6.1) | 5.1 | (4.5 to 5.8) | 4.6 | (3.9 to 5.4) | 5.0 | (3.5 to 7.0) | 3.6 | (2.3 to 5.7) | 5.3 | (4.9 to 5.8) | 5.1 | (4.6 to 5.6) |
| Non-verbal: intrusive eye or body movements | 8.3 | (7.1 to 9.7) | 8.2 | (6.8 to 9.8) | 6.4 | (5.4 to 7.6) | 5.5 | (4.5 to 6.8) | 5.4 | (3.5 to 8.2) | 3.8 | (2.2 to 6.5) | 7.3 | (6.5 to 8.1) | 6.9 | (6.0 to 7.8) |
| Non-verbal: viewing/sending sexual images | 4.2 | (3.4 to 5.2) | 3.4 | (2.7 to 4.4) | 4.6 | (3.5 to 6.0) | 2.7 | (2.0 to 3.7) | 5.1 | (2.7 to 9.4) | 12.5 | (3.0 to 51.3) | 4.4 | (3.8 to 5.2) | 3.3 | (2.8 to 4.0) |
| Non-verbal: indecent exposure | 5.0 | (3.5 to 7.3) | 2.3 | (1.5 to 3.5) | 8.7 | (5.5 to 13.8) | 3.7 | (2.0 to 7.0) | 35.4 | (4.9 to 254. 4) | NA | 6.8 | (5.1 to 9.1) | 2.9 | (2.0 to 4.1) | |
| Physical: unwanted touching, kissing and so on | 3.9 | (3.6 to 4.3) | 3.4 | (3.0 to 3.8) | 3.9 | (3.5 to 4.4) | 3.1 | (2.6 to 3.6) | 4.2 | (3.0 to 5.9) | 2.7 | (1.6 to 4.5) | 4.0 | (3.7 to 4.2) | 3.3 | (3.0 to 3.6) |
| Physical: rape attempt | 11.1 | (7.1 to 17. 3) | 4.8 | (2.4 to 9.5) | 9.5 | (6.1 to 14.9) | 5.7 | (1.8 to 18.7) | 15.9 | (3.9 to 64.7) | NA | 10.6 | (7.8 to 14.4) | 5.5 | (3.1 to 9.9) | |
| Physical: rape | 13.6 | (9.3 to 19.9) | 5.2 | (2.6 to 10.2) | 12.9 | (8.5 to 19.5) | 23.6 | (3.3 to 171.1) | 9.5 | (4.2 to 21.6) | NA | 12.6 | (9.7 to 16.4) | 7.4 | (3.9 to 14.0) | |
| All students | ||||||||||||||||
| Any sexual harassment | 24.8 | (24.3 to 25.2) | 18.3 | (17.9 to 18.7) | 23.9 | (23.2 to 24.6) | 14.8 | (14.3 to 15.4) | 18.8 | (17.3 to 20.3) | 9.3 | (8.2 to 10.4) | 24.2 | (23.8 to 24.5) | 16.7 | (16.4 to 17.1) |
| Verbal: sexual expressions, suggestions and so on | 15.2 | (14.8 to 15.6) | 11.1 | (10.7 to 11.4) | 16.1 | (15.6 to 16.7) | 9.7 | (9.2 to 10.2) | 13.8 | (12.5 to 15.1) | 6.4 | (5.5 to 7.4) | 15.4 | (15.1 to 15.7) | 10.4 | (10.1 to 10.7) |
| Non-verbal: intrusive eye or body movements | 11.5 | (11.2 to 11.9) | 8.6 | (8.3 to 8.9) | 11.5 | (11.2 to 11.9) | 7.1 | (6.7 to 7.5) | 10.0 | (8.9 to 11.2) | 4.5 | (3.7 to 5.3) | 11.4 | (11.2 to 11.7) | 7.9 | (7.7 to 8.1) |
| Non-verbal: viewing/sending sexual images | 3.6 | (3.4 to 3.8) | 2.2 | (2.1 to 2.4) | 3.8 | (3.5 to 4.1) | 1.9 | (1.7 to 2.1) | 4.6 | (4.3 to 4.9) | 2.0 | (1.4 to 2.5) | 3.7 | (3.6 to 3.9) | 2.1 | (2.0 to 2.2) |
| Non-verbal: indecent exposure | 1.4 | (1.2 to 1.5) | 0.5 | (0.5 to 0.6) | 2.1 | (1.9 to 2.3) | 0.6 | (0.4 to 0.7) | 2.8 | (2.5 to 3.0) | 0.3 | (0.1 to 0.6) | 1.7 | (1.6 to 1.8) | 0.5 | (0.5 to 0.6) |
| Physical: unwanted touching, kissing and so on | 15.8 | (15.4 to 16.2) | 10.0 | (9.7 to 10.2) | 15.2 | (14.7 to 15.8) | 6.9 | (6.5 to 7.3) | 12.9 | (12.4 to 13.4) | 4.1 | (3.3 to 4.8) | 15.4 | (15.1 to 15.8) | 8.7 | (8.4 to 8.9) |
| Physical: rape attempt | 1.9 | (1.7 to 2.0) | 0.4 | (0.3 to 0.4) | 2.4 | (2.2 to 2.7) | 0.2 | (0.2 to 0.3) | 2.5 | (2.2 to 2.7) | 0.2 | (0.0 to 0.3) | 2.1 | (2.0 to 2.2) | 0.3 | (0.3 to 0.4) |
| Physical: rape | 3.1 | (2.9 to 3.3) | 0.4 | (0.4 to 0.5) | 3.7 | (3.4 to 4.0) | 0.3 | (0.2 to 0.4) | 4.5 | (4.2 to 4.8) | 0.2 | (0.0 to 0.4) | 3.4 | (3.2 to 3.5) | 0.4 | (0.3 to 0.4) |
*All p values in the table are <0.001.
†An IRR >1 means that women are more likely to report that sexual harassment form, while an IRR <1 indicates that men are more likely to report that sexual harassment form.
NA, not available.