In November 2023, Joe Media commissioned research to be undertaken by OnePulse on the following questions.
The results are based on responses from 500 men aged 18-24 in the UK.
Q1: To start, would you know how to intervene if you witnessed harassment towards a woman or girl in a public place?
Yes – 69%
No – 16%
Not sure – 15%
Q2: On a scale of 1 (not confident at all) to 5 (completely confident), how confident would you personally feel about intervening if you witnessed a VAWG behaviour? Intervening can take various forms, such as: telling the perpetrator to stop, supporting the victim, telling someone in charge, or providing a diversion.
1 (not confident at all) – 3%
2 – 9%
3 – 28%
4 – 31%
5 (completely confident) – 26%Â
Don’t know – 3%
Q3: Which of the following reasons, if any, do you think might prevent you from intervening if you witnessed VAWG taking place? Please consider each, and select all that apply
I’d be worried that I had misread the situation – 46%
I would be worried about making things worse – 37%
I’d be worried for my own safety – 36%
The woman might not want me to intervene – 30%
I wouldn’t know how to help – 16%
Another reason – 3%
None of the above – 10%
Q4: In the last 12 months, have you witnessed VAWG (violence against women and girls)?
Yes – 35%
No – 60%
Don’t remember – 5%
Q5: Thinking about the last time you witnessed one of these behaviours, did you take an action? E.g. saying something to the perpetrator or victim, telling someone in charge or reporting it, providing a diversion, or intervening in another way (among those who have witnessed VAWG only)
Yes – 64%
No – 22%
Don’t remember – 14%
Q6: If you didn’t take an action the last time you witnessed VAWG, which of the below statements describe how you feel about the decision? (among those who didn’t take action the last time they witnessed VAWG only)
I think I made the right decision given the circumstances – 37%
I wish I had done something – 33%
Don’t know – 21%
Prefer not to say – 8%
