One in five girls say they experienced harassment before age 12

The Independent describes funding and reporting priorities focused on separating facts from messaging across issues including reproductive rights, climate change, and Big Tech. It emphasizes sending journalists to speak to multiple sides and providing reporting without paywalls. The provided data from Plan International UK indicates that at least one in five girls in the UK experience physical or sexual harassment for the first time before age 12. The research also reports that 87% of girls and young women aged 16 to 24 have received unwanted appearance-related comments such as catcalling and intrusive remarks. It warns that harassment is becoming normalized in childhood and increasingly occurs online. Many young women report changing how they dress to feel safe in public.

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"At least one in five girls in the UK experience physical or sexual harassment for the first time before the age of 12, shocking new research has suggested. The findings from girls' rights charity Plan International UK also said the vast majority (87 per cent) of girls and young women in the UK aged between 16 and 24 have received unwanted comments about their appearance, such as catcalling and intrusive remarks, adding such experiences have become normalised in childhood."

"It found many young women say they are adapting their behaviour as a result, with nearly three in five (58 per cent) saying they change how they dress in order to feel safe when they are out in public. Girls are experiencing harassment at school and increasingly online, experts said (Getty Images/iStock). The charity, which released the data as part of its new campaign The Fine Print, warned the UK must do far more to address harassment against women and girls, especially as such threats increasingly move online."

Read at www.independent.co.uk