Survey of 400 Adults Reveals Reality of Harassment in Daily Life

Value First Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture; CEO: Satoshi Sano; hereinafter 'Value First'), a digital marketing company, operates the 'Minna no Koe Research Lab,' which conducted a survey on 'harassment in daily life' targeting 400 men and women aged 20 and over.

Survey details: https://valuefirst.co.jp/koe-lab/harassment_02/

Survey Overview

Survey Period: January 20, 2026 – February 3, 2026

Target Respondents: Men and women aged 20 and over registered on CrowdWorks

Valid Responses: 400

Survey Method: Internet survey via CrowdWorks

71.25% Have Experienced Harassment in Daily Life

When asked whether they have experienced harassment in daily life, 71.25% responded 'yes.'

As the results show, harassment is not only a workplace issue but also a serious problem in everyday personal settings.

Since over 70% of respondents have experienced some form of unfair treatment, even those who believe they are unaffected may unconsciously be hurting others.

Additionally, while previous surveys on workplace harassment showed a higher proportion of women affected compared to men, this survey found the same trend in daily life—women reported higher rates of harassment.

Over 30% of Respondents Have Experienced 'Verbal Abuse' in Daily Life

When asked, 'Select all behaviors you have experienced from others in daily life (family, neighborhood, friends, acquaintances, etc.),' the most common response was 'verbal abuse (151 responses).'

Psychological pressure exerted through words or attitude, rather than physical violence, constitutes moral harassment (mora-hara).

However, if the verbal abuse is extremely severe, it may go beyond harassment and potentially violate laws, such as:

- Defamation: Publicly insulting someone, even without stating facts

- Libel: Publicly stating facts that damage a person's reputation

- Threats: Threatening to harm someone's life, body, freedom, reputation, or property

Other behaviors include 'intimidating attitude (134 responses),' classified as mood harassment (fuki-hara), and 'repeated noise or foul odors (37 responses),' categorized as noise harassment (oto-hara) or smell harassment (sume-hara).

20.50% Felt 'Intense Anger or Indignation' in Response to Harassment

When asked how they felt after experiencing harassment or discomfort from others in daily life, the most common response was 'intense anger or indignation (82 responses).'

Other notable responses included 'self-blame or loss of confidence (26 responses)' and 'mental exhaustion or stress (24 responses),' indicating that victims often internalize the harm.

Harassment in daily life can feel like a rejection of one's personality or lifestyle, making it easier for psychological damage to accumulate.

'Stress Relief' Is the Top Cause of Harassment

When asked about the causes of harassment in daily life, the most common response was 'stress relief (94 responses).'

This suggests that in most cases, the harassment stems not from issues with the victim, but from the perpetrator redirecting their own frustrations and irritations toward those close to them.

Distorted thinking such as 'I can say anything to this person' can lead to actions that damage the other person's dignity.

As the saying goes, 'Even among close friends, courtesy is important.' In preventing daily-life harassment, the closer the relationship, the more important it is to maintain respect by recognizing that 'the other person is different from me.'

Survey Results

- 71.25% have experienced harassment in daily life

- Over 30% of respondents have experienced 'verbal abuse' in daily life

- 20.50% felt 'intense anger or indignation' in response to harassment

- 'Stress relief' is the top cause of harassment

This survey targeted 400 men and women aged 20 and over to examine the reality and background of harassment in daily life.

Behaviors that cause annoyance or discomfort in daily life do not always stem from malice.

Many cases involve well-intentioned comments or excessive interference, where the speaker is unaware they are causing harm.

While daily-life harassment is often viewed as a private matter, it is important not to suffer in silence—victims should have the courage to seek help from professional counseling services when needed.

The Minna no Koe Research Lab provides more detailed results from this survey.

Additionally, the site features a wide range of survey results across various topics.

View details

※ When republishing, please credit the source using the following URL:

[https://valuefirst.co.jp/koe-lab/harassment_02/]

Company Overview

Company Name: VALUE FIRST Co., Ltd.

Website: https://valuefirst.co.jp/

Headquarters (Yokohama):

(Nagaoka Digital Lab):

Contact: recruit@valuefirst.co.jp

TEL: 045-263-8255

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