When more women have experienced sexual harassment at work than haven’t, it’s clear that something urgently needs to change.

But this is the exact reality in which we find ourselves: one where facing bullying, harassment and verbal abuse is the norm. That’s according to a new study from the TUC, which found that nearly two-thirds (62%) of young women (aged between 25 and 34) have experienced sexual harassment, bullying or verbal abuse while trying to do their jobs.

To be clear, this isn’t a problem that only affects one generation. Overall, 58% of women of all ages reported this experience, noting that it happens not only in physical offices but also during virtual meetings, over email and on the phone.

The abuse comes from colleagues and bosses, but also from third parties such as clients or customers. These are rarely one-offs: 57% of the women surveyed said they had experienced three or more incidents of bullying, while 43% said they had gone through at least three experiences of sexual harassment at work.

Majority of young women have faced sexual harassment and bullying at work, says study