Poll: Majority of women have faced unwanted sexual advances

More than half of U.S. women have experienced unwanted sexual advances from men, according to an ABC News/Washington Post poll released Tuesday.

Fifty-four percent reported that they have experienced inappropriate and unwanted sexual advances from men, and 30 percent said those advances came from male co-workers, according to the survey. Twenty-three percent of respondents reported that they had endured advances from men who had influence over their work situations. 

Among those who have experienced work-related sexual advances, 79 percent said they consider it sexual harassment, while 33 percent said it rose to the level of sexual abuse.

{mosads}For those women who experienced sexual advances from male co-workers, anger was the most common emotion felt, at 83 percent. Sixty-four percent said they felt intimidated, while 52 percent reported experiencing humiliation.

About 3 in 10 women said they felt ashamed after experiencing workplace-related sexual advances, the poll found.

The survey comes amid growing sexual harassment and assault allegations against disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein.

Americans say sexual harassment in the workplace is an issue that goes beyond Hollywood and the entertainment industry, though. Seventy-five percent of respondents surveyed in the ABC News/Washington Post poll said sexual harassment is a problem, while 64 percent called it a serious problem.

Reporting of unwanted sexual advances in the workplace also remains low, with only 42 percent of those who experienced such advances saying that they told someone in a supervisory position.

The poll was conducted by landline and cellphone from Oct. 12-15.