Sobering findings, but a suggestion of hope; also, a look at the methodology behind the startling numbers.

We polled women in the entertainment industry. Even we were surprised by the results.

The first number you see is 94%— and your eyes pop with incredulity.

But it’s true: Almost every one of hundreds of women questioned in an exclusive survey by USA TODAY said they have experienced some form of sexual harassment or assault during their careers in Hollywood.

For months now, we’ve all been hearing the horrifying stories of abuse from such marquee names as Rose McGowan and Gwyneth Paltrow and Ashley Judd and Salma Hayek, about what powerful men in Hollywood, including movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, allegedly did to them and other women over decades.

Unwanted sexual comments and groping. Propositioning women. Exposing themselves. Coercing women into having sex or doing something sexual. And, especially pertinent to showbiz, forcing women to disrobe and appear naked at an audition without warning.

It has been deeply disturbing reading, but so far the powerful stories of accusers outnumber plain, hard facts about the extent of the problem in Tinseltown. Until now.

Working with the Creative Coalition, Women in Film and Television and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, USA TODAY surveyed 843 women who work in the entertainment industry in a variety of roles and asked them about their experiences with sexual misconduct on the job.

The results are sobering: Nearly all of the women who responded to the survey ( 94%) said they have experienced some form of harassment or assault, often by an older person in a position of power over the accuser.

More than one- fifth of respondents ( 21%) said they have been forced to do something sexual at least once.

Only one in four women reported these experiences to anyone because of fear of personal or professional backlash or retaliation.

This reporting rate holds true for all forms of misconduct addressed in the survey.

Of those who did report, only 28% said their workplace situation improved after reporting.

Still, even though the survey shows that older and more experienced women have been subjected to more incidents of sexual misconduct, younger women with less than five years of experience in the industry were more likely to blow a whistle on misconduct.

The survey was conducted online between Dec. 4, 2017, and Jan. 14, 2018, after emails were sent to members of the Creative Coalition and Women in Film and Television.

As a self- selected sample, it is not scientifically representative of the entire industry, let alone the broader national population of women working in all industries.