A new health survey shows that the share of girls in Uppsala county reporting sexual harassment has dropped sharply since 2017.
According to the Liv och hälsa ung survey the share of girls in year two of upper secondary school reporting sexual harassment in the past year fell from 32 percent in 2017 to 13 percent in 2026. For girls in year nine the figure dropped from 25 to 12 percent over the same period.
Gender equality researcher Anneli Häyrén links the trend to the metoo movement. She says the movement acted as a wake-up call and increased awareness of boundaries.
At the same time views among young people in Uppsala are divided. Some believe awareness has risen through social media while others suspect fewer dare to speak about their experiences.
The survey was conducted in 2026 and answered by 9299 pupils in Uppsala county.
