Using data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) to analyse the prevalence and nature of sexual harassment experienced by young Australians aged 16-19 years, this snapshot identifies key demographic groups at higher risk, including young females and LGBTQ+ individuals. It explores factors associated with increased or decreased likelihood of experiencing harassment.

The paper provides a comprehensive analysis of sexual harassment among a large and diverse sample of young Australians and underscore the need for targeted interventions to prevent and address this issue effectively.

Findings

• Over 50% of young Australians have experienced sexual harassment.
• Young females are more likely to experience sexual harassment than young males (65% to 43%).
• Young LGBTQ+ people are more likely to experience sexual harassment than young non-LGBTQ+ people (49% to 31%).
• 40% of 16–17 year olds experienced sexual harassment at a place of study.
• Young females were mostly subjected to sexual harassment by strangers.
• Young males were mostly subjected to sexual harassment by friends.