'Harassed since age 11': Why more British women are choosing breast reduction surgery

The number of women undergoing breast reduction surgery in Britain is rising, with local media pointing to the country's persistent problem of sexual harassment as a driving factor.

According to data released in April by the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), 5,398 women in Britain underwent breast reduction or implant removal surgery last year, up 2.5 percent from 5,264 the previous year. By contrast, the number of women who had breast augmentation fell about 8.5 percent, from 5,194 to 4,752.

BAAPS said it was the first time since records began that more women had undergone breast reduction or implant removal than breast augmentation.

The BBC attributed the trend to the harassment women with larger breasts face in British society, citing the case of Ranvia, a woman in her 20s.

Standing 150 centimeters tall with a 32JJ (roughly a J to K cup) bra size, Ranvia said she had suffered because of her body since childhood. "I was subjected to sexual harassment and groping from the age of 11," she said. "An ice cream vendor catcalled me. When I was a teenager, boys would touch my chest without consent and even give me nicknames."

She added that the physical toll was just as heavy. "I had constant back pain because of my chest size. My bra straps dug into my body and were always uncomfortable. Even exercising was difficult," she said. "When I wore something more revealing like my friends did, my mother would be shocked and tell me I absolutely could not dress that way."

Having endured years of harassment and health problems, Ranvia ultimately had breast reduction surgery. "After the operation, I looked down and saw my stomach for the first time," she said. "I had been carrying such a long mental and physical burden, and finally seeing my own body made me burst into tears."

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