Why Do People Perpetrate Street Harassment?
Sexual harassment in public space such as catcalling, hissing, following, or making unwanted comments has a major impact on the safety and freedom of movement of especially women and minority groups. But why do people engage in this behaviour? Until now, research has mainly focused on the experiences of victims. Much less was known about the underlying reasons behind this behaviour.
On this page, we share the key insights from a new systematic scoping review by Charlotte van Tuijl and colleagues (2025). In this study, 29 scientific articles were analysed to examine the individual, relational, community, and societal factors that contribute to sexual harassment in public space.
Explore the key findings in 2 minutes
In the short video below, we walk you through the main findings of the literature review. What do we know, what do we still not know, and what do these insights mean for policy and prevention?
Download the key findings document
Would you like to review the main insights in more detail?
Download the Key Findings document, in which the themes of the literature review are clearly summarised for professionals, policymakers, and other interested readers.
Read the full open-access article
For those seeking more depth, the academic article is freely accessible and includes the full methodology, analyses, and references:
About the next steps in this research
This literature review forms the foundation for further research within the Healthy Start programme, in which we work together with young people, youth workers, and partners in the city to develop new approaches to preventing sexual harassment in public space. More information about ongoing projects can be found on the Street Harassment project page.