Report by Duncan Williams for Pulman's Weekly News
Nine in 10 young women in the South West have experienced sexism in the past year, with almost a third saying it has harmed their mental health, according to new research.
The survey by charity Young Women’s Trust found that 91% of women aged 18 to 30 in the region had experienced sexism in the previous 12 months.
Three quarters (75%) said sexism and misogyny had negatively affected their lives, while 46% said it had affected how safe they felt in public and 42% reported a loss of confidence.
The findings suggest sexist attitudes are also influencing how young women behave in everyday life.
Nearly two fifths (39%) said they felt forced to change the way they dressed or behaved, while 21% said they avoided expressing their opinions at work.
Katharine Sacks-Jones, chief executive of Young Women’s Trust, said widespread sexism and misogyny were damaging young women’s mental health and confidence.
She said: ‘This goes far beyond harmful online content – sexism is not something they can log off from.’
She added that it was affecting how young women viewed themselves and their place in society.
Concerns about changing attitudes
The research found that 76% of young women in the South West believed sexist views were becoming more common in society.
Three quarters (75%) also agreed that sexist comments were becoming more acceptable among young men.
Nationally, 36% of young men surveyed believed society would be better off if men and women returned to more traditional roles. This compared with 14% of young women in the South West who shared that view.
The survey also found that 71% of young women were worried that women’s rights were going backwards, while only 18% expressed confidence that politicians were taking misogyny seriously.
Sexism in public and at work
Young women who had experienced threats or abusive behaviour because of their gender identified a range of sources, including strangers on the street, social media and public transport.
Strangers on the street were cited by 30% of respondents who reported such experiences, while 28% identified social media or online spaces. Public transport was cited by 17%.
The research also highlighted concerns about workplace behaviour.
Nearly half (49%) of human resources managers surveyed said they were aware of young women in their organisations who had experienced sexist or discriminatory behaviour in the previous year.
More than a third (37%) agreed that sexist behaviour still existed in their organisation.
Calls for action
Young Women’s Trust is calling on the government to introduce a national framework for preventing and tackling misogyny, with coordinated action across education, workplaces, online spaces and public life.
The charity is also urging ministers to establish clear principles for tackling everyday sexism at work and create more opportunities for young women and men to discuss gender issues and challenge harmful stereotypes together.
The findings come as the government launches a National Taskforce for Tackling Misogyny, intended to help prevent misogyny and protect women and girls from harmful attitudes.
The research was conducted by Yonder Data Solutions between 30 July and 17 August 2026.
It included 4,004 young women and non-binary people aged 18 to 30 across England and Wales, 1,005 young men in the same age group and 937 human resources managers.
Young Women’s Trust campaigns for greater equality in the workplace and supports young women on low or no pay through services including free coaching and job application advice.
( Photos: Unsplash 📸 )