This thread is deeply depressing. It certainly isn't all men - but it is a sizeable minority of them, and it's so important that all men hear testimony like this. Really hear it. Because it is so hard for us to understand what this is like, when we don't live it ourselves.
With some men, there does seem to be an inplicit assumption that, not only are they entitled to act like this, but other men will naturally join them. I have a senior role at work, and had cause to take aside one of my people a couple of months back, for a chat about his behaviour towards the 18 year old apprentice in the office. This guy is, himself, pretty senior and well into his 50s. It was actually very hard to pin down precisely what it was about his behaviour that left me feeling uncomfortable - and I guess that is part of what makes it so insidious. Objectively, I couldn't point to one thing that was obviously 'wrong'. But the combination of factors around tone, the contrast with the way he interacted with other colleagues, body language etc just added up to it not being quite right. I can call him out on that - I'm his boss, and don't shy away from difficult discussions. But for an 18 year old girl, just starting out in the workplace, I can see that this sort of behaviour from a senior, much older man would be deeply disconcerting.
Another colleague - well into his 40s - has tried to start discussions with me about young women he's seen while on his lunch break, or whatever. Again, there's just an expectation that - as a guy - I'll join in. He seemed surprised, and quite put out to discover that, not only would I not join in, but I wouldn't tolerate it in the workplace either. It's deeply ingrained.
I don't have many answers, I'm afraid. I have two daughters, aged 14 and 12, and what I generally feel towards their friends is protective! They are all really just learning who they are. And any bloke who tries this kind of shit with my girls, their friends, or any other young girls with me around had better be prepared for the response!
I'm not sure how to tackle the cultural conditioning here, other than to call it out every time it happens, and to go on sharing this sort of testimony loudly at every opportunity. We need to look at what that conditioning is doing to our girls, too. On a number of occasions, my 14 year old has brought her Instagram to me, to say "god, look at what so-and-so has posted". Some of the stuff girls post is really worrying - 14 year olds posting very sexualised imagery of themselves pouting / posing provocatively etc. I always wonder where the parents are, to guide them, in those cases. The girls and I have a relationship where we can talk about all of that, but we need to be tackling the effects that cultural conditioning has on our girls, as well as our boys.
No easy answers, I suspect.