It's Not Just Women: One in Six Men in Tokyo Reports Sexual Harassment on Trains

Sexual Harassment Among Train and Subway Users
Previously Below 5%... Now at 15%
54.3% for Women, Over Three Times Higher Than Men

A subway in Japan (photo to aid article understanding). Pixabay

A significant proportion of men who use trains in Tokyo, Japan, have experienced sexual harassment, according to a recent survey. Experts noted that the higher-than-expected response rate serves as a reminder that victims of sexual harassment are not limited to women.

On January 22, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government announced the results of a survey showing that one in six men who use trains and train stations in Tokyo have experienced sexual harassment.

While it is true that women are disproportionately affected, the fact that the percentage of male victims approaches 15.1% calls into question the conventional belief that such assaults target only women. In the same survey, 54.3% of women reported experiencing sexual harassment, which is more than three times the rate among men.

Harada Takayuki, a professor at the Institute of Human Sciences at the University of Tsukuba, said, "I was very surprised by the figure of 15%. In similar surveys conducted by the Japanese government in the past regarding public transportation experiences, the numbers have consistently been lower." He added, "The usual figure was around 5%, and it never exceeded 10%."