Survey: 92% female students have met or seen sexual harassment or discrimination

Girl Scouts of Japan in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo recently released a survey covering female university students and their thoughts toward gender. Entitled, “Female University Students × Gender Survey Report 2020,” the survey was compiled by a team of four female university students, eager to find out the current situation of female university students between age 18 and 25 regarding gender.

They interviewed 536 female university students (216 Girl Scout members, 37 former members and 283 non-members) from all 47 prefectures in Japan. The 40-question survey was conducted online. Questions included, “To what extent do you experience gender-based discrimination and violence?” “What kind of message regarding gender do you receive from society and the media?” Meanwhile, other questions inquired their thoughts on gender at various life stages in the near future, including employment and marriage. They survey took place from December 6, 2019 to January 17, 2020.

The highest score the survey showed was 92%, the rate of female university students who have experienced or seen sexual harassment and sex discrimination in their daily lives. The places they experienced or seen such harassment were: the Internet (86%), the media (83%), public places (64%) and universities (51%).

Some students shared that the Internet and media often showed old values of women including women giving out teas in the office or women performing certain roles at home. Furthermore, they pointed out that the media often showed women with skirts looking thin and pretty, who were expected to be gentle, kind and good at cooking too. Another stated that it’s inappropriate that male reporters ask women athletes if they have plans of getting married or not. Not only did they feel uncomfortable from these images, they also felt that they were inclined to be influenced by these propaganda.

In relation to this, 66% of female university students have been subject to certain restrictions just because they are women. Among them, 38% have felt some kind of inequality, and 37% have been told by others not to do certain things. On the contrary, 29% have been forced to do certain things, and 15% had to give up what they personally wanted to do altogether.

Despite the high rate of gender bias these female university students are experiencing, the survey shows that the number of female university students who have hopes of continuing their jobs even after they have babies is high—78%! It’s about time the society caught up with these enthusiastic young women, so that they can advance into society free of bias.