Perceptions of Professional and Non-Professional Millennial Men Towards the Street Harassment of Women in San Pedro, San José, Costa Rica

Abstract

Street harassment refers to the unwanted comments, gestures, and actions that strangers address to people in public places without the consent of the affected individuals. Although all people regardless of their gender can experience street harassment, this issue has a major incidence on women. This research aimed to examine the perceptions of professional and non-professional millennial men towards the street harassment of women in San Pedro, San José, Costa Rica. The researcher surveyed fifty-two men with the purpose of proving the study’s hypothesis: professional men harass women less frequently than non-professional men. The results revealed the opposite as both male groups harass women almost evenly, and many of them ignore the definition of street harassment and their types.