Harassment or sexual abuse experienced by French women in bathing areas 2021

In 2021, half of French women had been victims of at least one form of sexual harassment or assault on a beach or swimming area. The situations described by these women are not very different from those experienced in public spaces such as the street or public transport. One in three women in this study reported having been stared at by someone to whom they had shown a lack of interest, or having been subjected to whistling, gestures, or rude comments. More than a quarter of them said they had been approached insistently despite their lack of consent.
These assaults can even take a more serious turn, such as forced exposure (one in five women), sexual threats (nine percent), or even sexual touching (13 percent).