Men also suffering harassment

As the temperature rises in the summer, so too do the hemlines as people peel off their clothes to keep cool. And, when people start wearing less, the incidences of sexual harassment shoot up sharply along with the mercury. While women are the most likely victims of such unwanted attention, many people forget that men too can become targets. Zhang Yuan (not his real name), an office worker in the sales department of his enterprise, said he has twice had to deal with unpleasant incidents involving women on a crowded bus.

Zhang's office in Shangdi, Haidian district, is nestled among countless hi-tech companies and he lives in Huilongguan, one of the most populated communities in Beijing. Buses between the two places are packed with people at peak hours.

"Once, an incident involved a woman in her 40s who stood in front of me," he said. "She kept getting closer to me until she was almost leaning on me. I thought the bus was too crowded until I realized the woman was swaying her hips against me.