Four in 10 P.E.I. women have experienced sexual harassment: poll

About one-quarter of the adult population in P.E.I. has experienced sexual harassment, says a survey conducted by Corporate Research Associates (CRA).

The likelihood of experiencing sexual harassment in Prince Edward Island is similar to that of Atlantic Canada — 26 per cent of residents overall and 41 per cent of women.

“Although the incidence of sexual harassment reported, particularly among women, is significant, it may not be as high as some might have expected,” said Don Mills of CRA. “The results nonetheless serve to underscore the ongoing need to address the long-standing societal problem.”

The poll found that four in 10 women in P.E.I. have experienced an incident of sexual harassment in their lifetime.

Residents were asked when, if at all, they last experienced sexual harassment. Overall, one-quarter (26 per cent) of the Prince Edward Island population reported having been sexually harassed, with one in 10 (11 per cent) having most recently experienced sexual harassment within the last five years.

One in seven (15 per cent) most recently experienced an incident five years ago or more. Meanwhile, 74 per cent of residents said they have never been sexually harassed.

One in seven women (15 per cent) most recently experienced sexual harassment within the last five years, and 25 per cent most recently experienced such an incident five years ago or more. Meanwhile, six in 10 women reported never having been sexually harassed.

These results are part of the CRA Atlantic Quarterly, an independent, quarterly telephone survey of Atlantic Canadians, and are based on a telephone sample of 291 adult Prince Edward Island residents conducted from Feb. 2 to 28, 2018.

Overall results accurate to within plus/minus 5.7 percentage points, 95 out of 100 times.

To view full release, graphs and data tables, visit https:// cra.ca/newsroom/.