The Relationship Between Catcalling and Self-Esteem Among Female Students

Abstract

Background: Catcalling is a form of verbal sexual harassment frequently experienced by adolescent girls and may negatively affect their psychological well-being, particularly self-esteem. Low self-esteem may interfere with adolescents' psychosocial development, making it important to examine the relationship between catcalling and self-esteem. Objective: To determine the relationship between catcalling and self-esteem among female students at SMP Negeri 3 Cepogo Satu Atap. Methods: This study employed a quantitative correlational design with a cross-sectional approach. A total of 41 female students were selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected using the Street Harassment Scale (SHS) to measure catcalling experiences and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) to assess self-esteem. Data were analyzed using the Chi-Square test. Results: Most respondents experienced low-level catcalling (30 students; 73.2%), while 11 students (26.8%) experienced high-level catcalling. A total of 22 students (53.7%) had low self-esteem, whereas 19 students (46.3%) had high self-esteem. The Chi-Square test revealed a significant relationship between catcalling and self-esteem (?² = 12.983; p = 0.000). Female students who experienced higher levels of catcalling tended to have lower self-esteem. Conclusion: There is a significant relationship between catcalling and self-esteem among female students at SMP Negeri 3 Cepogo Satu Atap.