The survey of 1300 Dunedin secondary students showed 55% of the teenage girls surveyed did not feel safe in the inner city.
Responses to the survey included many accounts of sexual harassment and assault.
The survey was led by Dunedin Student Council president Rohan O’Shea and Trinity Catholic College principal Kate Nicholson, who said the results "were quite surprising".
"Girls, in particular, were having a great sense of unease due to what could be seen as sexual harassment by men."
The purpose of the survey was to see how teenagers felt about their safety in the inner city, she said.
All but one Dunedin secondary school took part in the survey, and the findings were shared with each principal.
It was up to each individual school to decide what to do with the findings, Ms Nicholson said.
Survey engagement was extremely successful — 22% of secondary school students took part.
"We were really impressed with the numbers.
"I think it also indicates that maybe we don’t ask our young people enough about what their opinions and views on things are.
"It’s very easy for adults to surmise or assume positions of students.
"It’s just a good reminder to us to listen and give ... them a forum to speak openly where there’s no judgement."
It was up to the Central City Safety Advisory Group to do something with the results and testimonies, Ms Nicholson said.
Making the city safer was the only way to honour the students.
"I want them to know that they have been heard."
The Central City Safety Advisory Group includes the Dunedin City Council, police, Otago Regional Council, regional public service commissioner Stephanie Voight, Ministry of Education, Principals Association, Business South, mana whenua, Pacific Trust Otago, Grey Power and the Dunedin Student Council.
Police said the survey showed a concerning number of reports of sexual harassment which did not match the number of reports made to the police.
Ms Nicholson said reliving experiences and talking to the police could be difficult for a young woman.
"It’s always going to be difficult, but there are other ways for them to speak out, such as to school counsellors, to deans or to a trusted teacher.
"This goes for anyone who feels like they’ve been in a situation they were feeling very uncomfortable in — report [it] or talk to somebody who you can trust."
