The 1 in 6 statistic
Mankind UK research Feb 21
Savanta ComRes was commissioned by Mankind UK in Feb 2021 to explore the prevalence of non-consensual sexual experiences among UK men. They interviewed 1,011 UK male adults aged 18+ online from 5-7 February 2021. The cohort were representative of population by age, region, and social grade. Savanta ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.
People were asked to read examples of 15 non consensual sexual experiences and select which had ever happened to them. The Poll revealed that:
- 42% selected at least one of the 13 sexual experiences which are legally defined as a sexual crime.
- 50% selected at least one of the 15 sexual experiences listed including sexual harassment and unwanted sexual innuendo which are covered by the Equalities Act.
| No of men who’ve experienced this | % of men who’ve experienced this | |
| Assault by penetration of your mouth or anus with any object | 82 | 8% |
| Mutilation of your genitals | 83 | 8% |
| Rape or non-consensual penetration of your mouth or anus with a penis | 90 | 9% |
| Being coerced into being in sexual photographs or videos | 97 | 10% |
| Sharing of sexual images of you without your consent | 98 | 10% |
| Another unwanted sexual experience that is not mentioned | 113 | 11% |
| Being coerced into watching pornography or other people committing sexual acts | 114 | 11% |
| Indecent exposure or ‘flashing’ | 110 | 11% |
| Sexual assault which includes any other unwanted sexual touching or kissing | 133 | 13% |
| Being watched in an inappropriate sexual way | 133 | 13% |
| Being coerced or pressured into sexual activity | 137 | 14% |
| Sexual harassment in person or online | 145 | 14% |
| Teasing or ‘body shaming’ specific to your genitals | 139 | 14% |
| Taking part in any sexual activity with someone over 16, while you were under 16 | 207 | 21% |
| Unwanted sexual innuendo or ‘flirting’ | 283 | 28% |
| Total who have experienced at least one of the above non-consensual sexual experiences | 502 | 50% |
You can read the full research results broken down by region and age group here.
The situation is very similar in the US according to data compiled by US organisation 1in6.org including:
- A 2005 study conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control reported that 16% of males were sexually abused. Read the research.
Dube, S.R., Anda, R.F., Whitfield, C.L., et al. (2005). Long-term consequences of childhood sexual abuse by gender of victim. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 28, 430-438. - A 1990 national study of U.S. adults reported that 16% of men were sexually abused. Read the research.
Finkelhor, D., Hotaling, G., Lewis, I. A., & Smith, C. (1990). Sexual abuse in a national survey of adult men and women: Prevalence, characteristics, and risk factors. Child Abuse & Neglect, 14, 19-28.
