A staggering 87% of young women aged between 18 and 30 in the East of England faced sexism in the past year, according to new research.
The study by Young Women’s Trust highlights a growing crisis across the region, with one in three (31%) reporting that misogyny has directly harmed their mental health.
Overall, 73% of young women say sexism negatively affects their daily lives.
Mental health
Read: Campaign launched to tackle teenage violence and online misogyny in Bedford schools
The findings show that widespread harassment is leaving local young women feeling less safe and lacking confidence.
Over a third (36%) stated that misogyny impacts how safe they feel in public, while 44% reported a direct hit to their self-belief.
Katharine Sacks-Jones, chief executive at Young Women’s Trust, said: “The findings are clear: widespread sexism and misogyny are damaging young women’s mental health and confidence.
“This goes far beyond harmful online content – sexism is not something they can log off from.
“It’s having a profound impact on the way young women view themselves and their place in the world and the way they participate in society.
“With growing threats to the rights and protections that women have fought hard to secure, young women now feel their rights are up for grabs.
“Now is the time to challenge harmful attitudes, stand up for young women’s rights and ensure every young woman has the power and opportunity to fulfil her potential.”
Public safety
Read: Boys are being groomed online by manosphere grifters and Ofcom must step up
The research demonstrates that young women face abuse across almost every aspect of daily life.
Among those targeting young women with gender-based abuse, 26% of incidents occurred online, 20% involved strangers on the street, and 17% took place on public transport.
Customers or service users accounted for 14% of threats, while 13% originated from family members.
To protect themselves, a third (33%) of young women feel forced to alter how they dress or act in public spaces.
The psychological toll extends to the workplace, where 23% admit to withholding their opinions.
Rising hostility is also evident, with 76% believing sexist views are spreading in society and 72% agreeing that sexist comments are becoming more acceptable among young men.
Campaign demands
Fears are growing over equality, as 71% of young women worry that women’s rights are slipping backwards.
Meanwhile, only 27% feel confident that politicians take misogyny seriously, despite ministers launching a new National Taskforce for Tackling Misogyny.
Speaking of the launch of the taskforce last month, Bridget Phillipson MP, Minister for Women and Equalities, said it would “send misogynistic attitudes back to the dark ages where they belong”.
She said: “Before I entered politics, I ran a refuge for women fleeing domestic abuse. I’ve seen first-hand the devastating impact on women and girls when harmful attitudes are tolerated and left unchallenged.
“No woman should have to make her world smaller or curb her ambitions out of fear – and making that a reality is everyone’s business.
“As a whole society, we can and must be better. With political leadership and the best experts from across the country, we will shift the dial on the poisonous attitudes that blight women’s lives, turn evidence into action, and send misogynistic attitudes back to the dark ages where they belong.”
But the Young Women’s Trust is calling on the government to do more and establish a national framework to tackle misogyny across education, workplaces, and public life.
The charity is also pushing for clear workplace principles on everyday sexism and new opportunities for young people to discuss gender norms constructively together.
You can find out more about the work of the Young Women’s Trust at youngwomenstrust.org.
