Youth workers are deployed in many municipalities, including the municipality of Rotterdam, to prevent sexual harassment among young people on the street. They are close to young people in their daily lives, build long-term relationships of trust, and can facilitate discussions about norms and behavior appropriate for their age.

Until now, this prevention work has been largely underexposed or even overlooked because it is integrated into the daily work of youth workers. We were therefore curious how youth workers explain sexual harassment among young people in practice and how they collaborate with (potential) perpetrators.

Charlotte van Tuijl therefore spoke with 28 youth workers from various neighborhoods in the Municipality of Rotterdam. In the conversations, we discussed three main themes: (1) how youth workers view sexual harassment among young people on the street, (2) how they explain this behavior among young people, and (3) how they work with (potential) perpetrators. During these conversations, we focused primarily on the youth workers’ own experiences and opinions.

The findings can be seen in the infographic below. Further background information on the findings can be found in the report.