Catcalling, wolfwhistling and sexual harassment might be a problem predominantly endured by women, but the Superman actor Henry Cavill has claimed he too is subject to abuse.
In an interview with The Sunday Times, the 32-year-old English actor claimed women exhibit “double standards” when it comes to catcalling.
“I do think there’s a bit of a double standard, you know.
“I mean, if a girl shouts something like ‘Oi, love, fancy a shag?’ to me as I walk past I do sometimes wonder how she’d feel if a builder said that to her. Although, of course, I wouldn’t feel physically threatened, as she might.”
According to research carried out last summer by Hollaback charity and Cornell University with more than 16,000 women from around the world, 84 per cent of women are harassed on the street before they reach 17.
People news in pictures
People news in pictures
-
1/30 6 July 2016
Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius reacts with his sister Aimee Pistorius at his sentence hearing at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria. Pistorius has been sentenced to six years in prison for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp
REUTERS
-
2/30 6 July 2016
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair responds to the Chilcot report
Getty Images
-
3/30 6 July 2016
David Beckham and his sons Romeo Beckham (R), and Cruz Beckham watch the action on centre court on day ten of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London
AP
-
4/30 5 July 2016
Will Smith and his daughter Willow Smith pose before Chanel 2016-2017 fall/winter Haute Couture collection fashion show in Paris
AFP/Getty Images
-
5/30 4 July 2016
Nigel Farage steps down as a leader of Ukip
Rex
-
6/30 3 July 2016
Andrea Leadsom and Britain's Justice Secretary Michael Gove, both candidates to succeed David Cameron as British prime minister, are seen appearing on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show
REUTERS
-
7/30 2 July 2016
Queen Elizabeth II leaves with Ken Macintosh, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, following the opening of the fifth session of the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, Scotland
AFP/Getty Images
-
8/30 1 July 2016
French President Francois Hollande, Prince William Duke of Cambridge, British Prime Minister David Cameron, Prince Harry and Britain's Prince Charles the Prince of Wales during the ceremony to mark the centenary of the Battle of the Somme at the Thiepval monument, in Thiepval, near Amiens, northern France. The Battle of the Somme remains as one of the most deadly battles of the First World War
EPA
-
9/30 30 June 2016
Boris Johnson speaks during a press conference at St Ermin's Hotel in London, where he formally announced that he will not enter the race to succeed David Cameron in Downing Street
PA
-
10/30 29 June 2016
Stephen Crabb (L) has officially announced his campaign for the Conservative party leadership, pledging to implement border controls with the EU whilst maintaining economic relations. The Work and Pensions Secretary said he wanted a set of economic arrangements “that approximate as closely as possible to the arrangements we have now”
REUTERS
-
11/30 28 June 2016
United Kingdom Independence Party leader Nigel Farage reacting as he meets with European Union Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker ahead of a plenary session at the EU headquarters in Brussels. Mr Juncker, the President of the European Commission, turned on Ukip MEP Paul Nuttall who clapped after he pledged to respect Britain’s wishes. “That’s the last time you are applauding here,” he said, to enthusiastic applause from MEPs. “And to some extent, I’m really surprised that you are here. You were fighting for the exit, the British people voted in favour of the exit, so why are you here?”
AFP/Getty Images
-
12/30 28 June 2016
David Cameron is welcomed by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker prior to a meeting in Brussels
EPA
-
13/30 27 June 2016
President of the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and Prime Minister Hun Sen (R) and CPP Honorary President and President of the National Assembly Heng Samrin (L) release doves during a ceremony at the party headquarters to mark the 65th anniversary of the establishment of the party in Phnom Penh
REUTERS
-
14/30 27 June 2016
British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne makes a statement at the Treasury in London, folowing the pro-Brexit outcome of the EU referendum
AFP/Getty Images
-
15/30 26 June 2016
The Dalai Lama greets Lady Gaga, right, before a question and answer session at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Indianapolis
AP
-
16/30 26 June 2016
Pope Francis and Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II Armenia release white doves in front of Mount Ararat after a ceremony at the Khor Virap monastery
REUTERS
-
17/30 25 June 2016
Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during a welcoming ceremony in Beijing, China
REUTERS
-
18/30 24 June 2016
Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron speaks outside 10 Downing Street on 24 June 2016. Cameron announced his resignation after Britain voted to leave the European Union after a bitterly divisive referendum campaign
AP
-
19/30 23 June 2016
The Dalai Lama makes a face after he accidentally turned his microphone device too loud during the morning session in the Coors Event Center at the University of Colorado- Boulder
AP
-
20/30 23 June 2016
British Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha Cameron leave after voting in the EU Referendum at Central Methodist Hall, Westminster in London
Getty Images
-
21/30 23 June 2016
Myanmar Foreign Minister and State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi speaks during a meeting with migrant workers at the coastal fishery centre of Samut Sakhon, outside Bangkok, Thailand
REUTERS
-
22/30 22 June 2016
Actress Helen Mirren sits next to Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat as he presents her the Jerusalem of Gold Award for Excellence in the Arts and Humanities, in Jerusalem. Mirren is in Israel to host the 2016 Genesis Awards which will be presented to Israeli-American violinist Itzhak Perlman for this professional excellence and contribution to the Jewish community and Israel
REUTERS
-
23/30 21 June 2016
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro holds a whip during a rally with supporters of African descent at Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Venezuela
REUTERS
-
24/30 20 June 2016
Chelsea Clinton holds her newborn son Aidan Clinton Mezvinsky with her husband Marc Mezvinsky, as U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton pose together as they exit Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City
REUTERS
-
25/30 20 June 2016
Secretary of State John Kerry meets United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Special Envoy Angelina Jolie Pitt at the Department of State in Washington. Pitt called for action on World Refugee Day
AP
-
26/30 20 June 2016
Rome's newly elected mayor Virginia Raggi, of 5-Star Movement, gestures during a news conference in Rome, Italy
REUTERS
-
27/30 20 June 2016
Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron (C) walks alongside Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn as they leave the Houses of Parliament for a service of remembrance after a special session to honour murdered lawmaker Jo Cox, in London
AFP/Getty Images
-
28/30 19 June 2016
British designer Vivienne Westwood appears on the catwalk at the end of the Spring/Summer 2017 Men's Collection of British fashion label Vivienne Westwood during the Milan Men's Fashion Week
EPA
-
29/30 18 June 2016
The International Space Station (ISS) crew members Timothy Peake of Britain, Yuri Malenchenko of Russia and Timothy Kopra of the U.S., surrounded by ground personnel, rest shortly after landing near the town of Dzhezkazgan in Kazakhstan
REUTERS
-
30/30 18 June 2016
Actor Brad Pitt arrives to start the 84th 24-hour Le Mans endurance race in Le Mans, western France
AP
In the UK, 90 per cent of women say they have been harassed on the street before they hit 17.
Cavill said that, on the whole, he doesn’t mind being propositioned by women on street - unless he is with his girlfriend Tara King - in which case it's deeply disrespectful.
“I've heard some things. I don't mind it, unless I'm with my girlfriend and someone is being complimentary to me in order to disrespect her,” he said.
- More about:
- Batman
- Henry Cavill
- Catcalling
- everyday sexism
- Sexual Harassment
Reuse content
