Archives for August 2009

Lexington, MA, Truck Driver

August 10, 2009 By Contributor

I was in Lexington, MA, for a job interview, and I was early enough to get a bite to eat at the local McDonald’s. I opted to eat in my car, engine off, doors locked. It was the middle of the day, not late at all.

As I was eating, I noticed a white or Hispanic man across the parking lot, standing next to a big, white distribution truck, and he was staring at me intently. I looked away but kept my attention on him to be careful.

After a few minutes, he started to call to me with ‘hey’ over and over again. He just stared and motioned to me to come out of my car. I didn’t. I decided I was tired of him, and drove out of the parking lot.

As I stopped at the red light, I noticed the white truck exiting the parking lot as well, and coming straight for me. I dashed off into the road I needed, and hid myself down an obscure street to avoid being found. Thankfully I did not see him again, but I can say that I was extremely shaken up about the entire thing and wanted to cry. I felt so helpless and trapped in my own car.

– J.L.

Location: Lexington, MA

Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem. Include your location and it will be added to the Street Harassment Map.

Hello, my name isn’t cutie …

August 10, 2009 By HKearl

Over the weekend I did a lot of research for my book on street harassment. Previously I’d read about and interviewed an activist who helped with the INCITE! DC anti-street harassment day of action in 2006 in Washington, DC, but yesterday I was excited to stumble across some great photos from the event. Here are a few:

Included in the comment thread of that post was this image.

While I think writing in one’s name could be problematic because then harassers may repeat it ceaselessly, I like the overall idea and I think leaving the name part blank would convey the same message. Would you wear one?

Hello, my name isn't cutie …

August 10, 2009 By HKearl

Included in the comment thread of that post was this image.

Weekly Round Up – August 9

August 9, 2009 By HKearl

Stories:

Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem. Include your location and it will be added to the Street Harassment Map.

On this blog, two contributors submitted stories about harassment in the Washington DC area (including an anti-Black woman harasser), a woman in Europe shared what constant male harassment caused her to feel when an elderly woman unexpectedly grabs her to steady herself on the subway, two women in Chicago each share harassment stories from taking the subway home, and a woman shares one of her recent harassment experiences in East Boston, MA.
Holla Back NYC has numerous stories, including a woman getting groped on the 4 train, a man masturbating onto the track of a nearly empty subway platform while staring at the contributor, a woman who reported her harasser who works for Hollywood Dairy, a woman who got harassed after saying hello back to a man at a subway station, another woman who got attacked by a man while she waited for a subway at the Carroll Street station, and a woman who kept getting harassed by a man passing by in a van.
On Holla Back DC! a woman shares her most “memorable” harassment experiences, another has a rubbernecker stare at her on the subway escalator, a woman shares her experience walking the 14th Street guntlet, and another woman tries to explain to a harasser why she doesn’t like what he’s saying; he then calls her a stuck up bitch.

In the News:

AMNY ran an article about harassment on New York City’s public transportation system.
Sudanese journalist Lubna Hussein’s trial began this week; she was arrested with other women for the crime of wearing trousers in a public place.
The Huffington Post ran an article about street harassment, highlighting Holla Back website efforts, called “When Hollered At, HollaBack!“
Herizon magazine’s summer issue includes an article about Hollaback Toronto.

Announcements:

Right Rides is hiring a Community Organizer to lead the New Yorkers for Safe Transit Coalition efforts.
I’ve been offered a book contract for my proposed book on street harassment! Submit your stories for inclusion.
Enter a photography contest for photographers who capture or depict street harassment, particularly in the DC area. Selected winners will have the chance to show/sell their work at a reception the evening before the Holla Back DC: Make DC Harassment Free Summit.
RightRides in NYC recently has expanded their services of a free ride home from Saturday nights to include Friday nights too! They offer this service from 11:59 p.m. – 3 a.m. in 45 neighborhoods across four boroughs. To call for a ride, the dispatch number is (718) 964-7781 OR (888)215-SAFE (7233).

Street Harassment Resource of the Week:

Tweet your harassment story and add @catcalled or #hbnyc to your post and it will be added to Catcalled or HollaBackNYC’s thread of harassment stories.

Not expecting to have to be on the defensive

August 9, 2009 By Contributor

I live in South Side Chicago, and I like to get my hair cut on the North Side. I take public transportation, so for me, this means taking the Green Line.

It was an early appointment and I had had a long day; I fell asleep on the way back. I’m woken up by someone hitting me on the knees. It’s some creep in glasses and a do-rag. “Regulations apply to everyone. No sleeping!” Groggily, I get up to see what stop we’re at. Still seven away from mine. I try to make polite conversation (I’m still in North Side mode). The creep is not only a jerk, but incomprehensible. I go sit down on the other side, because I am not in the mood for a fight.

He follows me, sits right across from me. He waits until I get off at my stop, and starts making obscene comments. I am tired and in no mood to fight, so I wait for him to pass and go home.

If I were more awake, I would have argued with him. As is, I’ve been hit with esprit d’escalier all day, and pretty mad at myself for not saying something. I punched a guy on the Beijing subway for groping me; I was just not expecting to have to be on the defensive here.

It happens all the time on the Southside; catcalls are the norm. And the worst part? It’s much, much worse if you’re a Black woman. I’m Asian; thankfully, this intimidates some of them. My roommate, however, is Black. Once this guy followed her for several blocks trying to get her number, even after she made it clear she wasn’t interested. She makes eye contact with a guy, he starts seriously harassing her. When we talk together past single men or men in groups, we know we’d better be in a very involved conversation.

Usually, police presence keeps the guys from bothering you too much, but that’s so rare around here. My roommate has given me one good mantra to keep in mind, though: “What makes them think they have the right to talk to ME?”

– Sandra

Location: Green Line Subway in Chicago

Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem. Include your location and it will be added to the Street Harassment Map.

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