Archives for April 2010

Share your videos

April 5, 2010 By HKearl

There are a growing number of anti-street harassment vidoes and documentaries out there. They are powerful in showing the faces and voices of both perpetrators and targets of street harassment.

One of my friends and loyal blog readers set up a Stop Street Harassment YouTube channel over the weekend. She’s marked several street harassment video clips as “favorites” and did the leg work to make it look nice. (Thanks!)

Now, we’d love for you all to add your videos about street harassment. The video clip could be you sharing your thoughts/experiences about street harassment, it could be a harasser you captured on video, or it could be a clip of a documentary or PSA you’re creating on the topic. And if you know about any street harassment video clips not included in the favorite section, let me know!

Because I don’t want trolls and haters to be able to post videos, please contact me if you have one to post and I’ll give you the info on how.

Let’s articulate and show why street harassment is demeaning, disrespectful, annoying and scary!

“Yet again. It never f***ing stops.”

April 5, 2010 By Contributor

I was walking in the early evening in the east village of Manhattan, on an upscale, populated street. In my usual defensive street manner, I was walking quickly, I was not smiling, and I was not making eye contact with anyone on the street.

I passed a man who I didn’t look at and then heard from behind me, “Hey, you got a nice ass.” I stopped and turned around, I had enough that day. This happens everyday, sometimes twice or three times a day. This comment was particularly rude and blatantly disrespectful, and I didn’t want to ignore it anymore.

I yelled at him and told him to shut up and that he was being disrespectful, he yelled at me and called me a bitch, saying “I got a right to like a big fat ass.”

I took the high road on the fat ass comment, and said, “Some women may have been sexually assaulted or raped, and they don’t like being talked to like that.” (I have been sexually assaulted).

He said, “All you gotta do is tell me that.”

Oh, so my preemptive opener for any man should be, “I’ve been assaulted, do not talk to me.”

Yes, I was upset and yelling at him, but I was trying to explain something too, that he could have learned something from. Clearly I had no effect on him whatsoever, since when I turned around and walked away, he said, “You still got a nice ass though.”

He had to have the last word, didn’t he. One more time to assert his power, knowing that I was visibly upset and could not turn around again.

Evey day [I am harassed]. Every single day without fail. I’m so tired of it. I don’t know what I can do. I feel totally helpless and unable to enjoy being outside. I am afraid when I see men coming toward me on the street. I am afraid they are going to touch me or speak to me. When they’re walking toward me I am saying to myself “please don’t look at me, please don’t say anything.” This is no way to live! I am worried about how this is really affecting me. Any advice on how to deal with this or what I can do would be appreciated.

– Amie B.

Location: East Village, NYC

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.

Weekly Round Up April 4, 2010

April 4, 2010 By HKearl

Stories:

I accept street harassment submissions from anywhere in the world. Share your story!

On this blog, a woman in Kentucky told how a man tried to walk with her and her friends, a man in Bavaria, Germany, calls a woman a “fat cow,” a woman in London shares three street harassment recollections, and a woman in Virginia tells how a man harassed her while she was running.
On HollaBack NYC a woman shares how a man masturbated at her on the R subway train and she reported him to the police and a male ally spotted a man harassing women walking by while wearing his work uniform so the male ally is going to report him to his company.
On HollaBack DC! a man harasses a woman while she waits for the light to change, another man progresses from catcalling a woman on the street to stalking her in a store, and another woman got an apology from a harasser when she told him she didn’t like what he was saying.
On HollaBack Toronto, a woman tells how a man followed her after work.

In the News:

Rape reports on the Washington, DC, metro system got “lost in the shuffle”
“The nightmare of sexual harassment in Egypt“
“In Mideast countries, women feel safer in ‘pink taxis’“
AAUW’s blog Dialog has a guest post from HollaBack DC! about the history of street harassment activism in Washington, DC

Announcements:

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Here are 10 activism ideas for how you can raise awareness about this widespread problem and/or help raise funds for preventative programs and resources for survivors.
Take two street harassment surveys and help researchers studying this problem.
The submission deadline for an anthology on Queering Sexual Violence is extended until May 1, 2010.
The Safe Delhi Campaign is looking for volunteers and interns.
Blank Noise in India is looking for new logo submissions
If you’re interested in becoming a RightRides driving team volunteer, email volunteer@rightrides.org – orientations will be occuring throughout April.
HollaBack NYC is looking for volunteers with various skill sets to help them take their work to the next level.
Share why you “Holla Back” for the HollaBack NYC website.

Events:

If you’re in the Washington, DC, area, HollaBack DC! is hosting or participating in several events across the next few weeks, check out the info on their site.
Sign up for Washington, DC, based Defend Yourself’s annual class on dealing with street harassers, being held on May 22.

Resource of the Week:

SAFER (Students Active for Ending Rape) for the amazing work they are doing to make campuses safe for everyone. They have resources for: college students, alumni, parents of college students, and faculty/staff. Check out their very informative blog, Change Happens.

Penske Guy

April 3, 2010 By Contributor

Penske truck — Image from Penske Truck Rental's website

This morning, it was beautiful outside when I went for a run: 65 degrees, 60% humidity, sunny, and there were trees blooming along the sidewalk. I was enjoying my run, deep in thought, when a guy in a Penske truck honked at me and, while driving, leaned out of the truck window, leering, and waving obnoxiously at me.

I’m not opposed to interactions with others while running. When I pass by other runners or walkers, unless I’m sprinting, I like saying hi, exchanging a “good job” or “nice day, huh?” But I don’t like being startled/distracted/disrespected by men honking and hollaring from passing vehicles. Oh and he was acting dangerously since he was distracted while driving.

– holly

Location: Reston Parkway, near Route 7, Reston, VA

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.

Metro rape reports “got lost in the shuffle”

April 2, 2010 By HKearl

I take the Washington, DC, metro to and from work every weekday, so I have general and personal outrage over this report from the Washington Post:

“There have been four rapes on Metro property this year, up from one last year, but unlike assaults reported elsewhere in the Washington area, at least two of the crimes were not immediately made public.

Metro officials gave differing accounts of why the public was not informed about the crimes. Metro spokeswoman Cathy Asato said on Tuesday that the police deliberately withheld information on two assaults that occurred in the parking garage of Largo Town Center in February as they searched for suspects. However, Peter Benjamin, chairman of Metro’s board of directors, said information on the attacks “got lost in the shuffle” during the February snowstorms.”

Once there is a report, how hard is it to notify the public so they can take necessary precautions/be aware of potential threats in that area?

HollaBack DC! just wrapped up Public Transit Awareness Month in March and they have more to say on this disappointing news story.

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