Investigating the Level and Types of Street Harassment

Abstract

The purpose of conducting this research was determining the level and types of street harassment in the city of Ilam. Statistical population of this research included males and females aged over 10 years in Ilam from which 500 subjects were selected through simple random sampling method. The measurement instrument was a questionnaire designed by the researcher including 25 items. Results indicated that 56.1percent of males and 71 percent of females in one way or another have had the experience of street harassment. Highest level of street harassment was observed among married women, single women, married men, and single men respectively. Jobs that require higher levels of social relationship are faced with street harassment more than others; for instance, visitors, drivers of public transportation means, and journalists. The most common types of nuisance in Ilam included nasty look (58.46 percent), verbal nuisance (54.4 percent), honking and deliberate stoppingof personal automobiles for pedestrians (34.12 percent). And, the least common types included shouting (21.01 percent), physical assault (21.55), and touching (21.87). Results of data analysis indicated that there are significant differences in the level of street harassment with respect to variables such as educational degree, time span of being out of home, subjects’ companion, age ranges, social-economic classes, types of cell phone lines, and males and females’ clothing style. However, there were no significant differences in the level of street harassments with respect to means of transportation.