The “Rights” Side of Life Survey has been
observing the patterns, occurrence and nature
of sexual harassment in the Maldives. Since the
publication of the last two reports, there have
been multiple reports of sexual harassment on
social media, and a movement to report these
cases online under the hashtag “#nufoshey”
(“don’t harass”) became widespread. Women and
men of all ages joined this movement and started
reporting and exposing perpetrators online to
seek some sort of remedy to this rampant form
of abuse. Therefore, understanding the present
attitudes regarding the matter is key.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN
PUBLIC PLACES
Sexual harassment in public places – faced by women
The first set of queries were designed to identify
the nature of sexual harassment people were
subjected to in public places. When women were
asked about the most likely type of harassment
they were subjected to, they said it was a man
making obscene or offensive sexual comments
(14.2%). The second most common type of
harassment reported by women were of a man
rubbing himself up against the respondents or
touching them on their breasts or buttocks in the
street, at the night market or any other public
place (12.8%).
Table 73: Type of harassment in a public place faced by women
Incident
Ever
In the past 2
years
Never
RF/DK
Whether a man has
rubbed himself up
against or touched on
the breast or bottom
in public
12.83%
Whether a man has
grabbed hand in public
8.26%
Whether a man has
rubbed himself up
against or touched on
the breast or bottom
on any vessel
5.91%
0.94%
80.78%
12.37%
Whether a man has
made obscene or
offensive sexual comments
14.22%
1.96%
64.58%
19.24%
Whether a man has
rubbed himself up
against or touched on
the breast or bottom
while swimming or
performing other
activities
3.05%
0.55%
85.73%
10.66%
1.62%
0.66%
68.00%
75.88%
17.56%
15.20%
These responses show a significant shift in
56
the nature of harassment identified from the
previous report. In 2011 the most common type
of harassment was cited as grabbing the victim’s
hand in public (22.9%) and the least reported
types of harassment were a man rubbing himself
up against the respondents or touching the
respondents on the breasts or buttocks or when
getting on and off on ferries or other vessels
(3.4%).
Sexual harassment in public places – faced by men
Male respondents identified a woman rubbing
herself against him or touching his private parts
on the street or any other public place as the most
common type of harassment (8.0%). The second
most common type of harassment identified by
men was having their hands grabbed by a woman
in a public place (7.2%).
Table 74: Type of harassment in a public place faced by men
Incident
Whether a woman
has rubbed herself up
against or touched
your private parts in
public
Whether a woman
has grabbed hand in
public
Whether a woman
has rubbed herself up
against or touched
your private parts on
any vessel
Whether a woman
has made obscene
or offensive sexual
comments
Whether a man has
rubbed himself up
against or touched
your private parts
while swimming or
performing other
activities
Ever
In the past
2 years
Never
RF/DK/
NA
7.95%
1.03%
74.62%
16.41%
7.18%
1.38%
81.77%
9.67%
3.25%
0.54%
82.93%
13.28%
7.03%
0.78%
76.82%
15.36%
4.36%
0.82%
80.65%
14.17%
It is to be noted that even though both
men and women are subjected to sexual
harassment, there are some differences in the
types of harassment experienced according
to gender. However, the percentage of women
who have experienced harassment in all
categories is higher indicating that more women
are subjected to sexual harassment than men.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT THE
WORKPLACE
The majority of the respondents reported never