Ms Cornish said- and it was accepted by other UKers - that it was common in 'the old days' for girls' bottoms to be pinched, implying no one thought anything of it.

I think I'd disagree with that. In 'the old days', my younger sister was once subject to some fiddling of the sort above. She told my father - who told the local law - and it was dealt with seriously. She identified the fiddler in a police book of known offenders.