Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

Archives for May 2010

Just waiting

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A few weeks ago I’d just missed a tram, so had to wait for another one. A group of high school kids pass me by with their teacher and one of those teenagers apparently had paid me ‘a compliment’, because suddenly the guy was yelling at me that I shouldn’t ignore him, that I should learn to smile and then left while saying: “Why bother, you’re ugly and sick looking anyway.” When he joined his friends again they were all laughing with me. I felt so humiliated and the whole thing left me shaken.

– anonymous

Location: Ghent, Belgium

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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College in Colorado

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Though I grew up familiar with harassment I was still surprised how present it was at college. Durango, Colorado, is a small college town in the mountains full of people who want to change the world and Fort Lewis is an extraordinary college. However, within a year I had been followed across campus for asking a guy to move his truck so as not to take up two spaces and my roommate had a guy who called and texted her regularly, calling her sexy and whistling whenever she was near.

The one time I actually felt like I was in danger or the people near me were was driving through the nearby Cortez. A souped up truck with a loudspeaker on the top began following us, staying beside us and not letting me pull ahead or behind, all while shouting from their loudspeaker.

My usual way of dealing with sexual harassment is to get in the person’s face and show them that I’m anything but scared. This isn’t an option in a car and I had passengers who were in a delicate state. If it happens again I plan to pull over and see how tough they are outside their car.

– anonymous

Location: Cortez, CO

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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“Sexy Walk” is not a name

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On April 21, 2010, I was heading outside on a smoke break and this man who was behind me (also a delivery person to my building) says, “You have a sexy walk” I turned around and glared at him.

When I got outside I realized he was still following me and turned around. HE WAS STILL THERE and said, “Have a nice day, Sexy Walk”.

I was so angry, and scared. He was a big guy and I couldn’t say anything from fear.

I went inside feeling ashamed that I didn’t say anything and that i didn’t put him in his place. Fortunately, my coworkers made me feel better and said it is ok to be scared or shocked and that sometimes not saying anything is the better and safer option.

– JP

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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Morning talk

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I was going to work this morning with my iPod on, as usual. Because I am working in an office and that we have a dressing code, I always try to look nice. While I’m waiting at a subway station, a strange man came up to me and started taking to me, but I didn’t understand him because of my iPod. I caught cute, and baby, and I decided to move away because I didn’t feel like dealing with him or having to be in the same train then him the whole ride. When I turned away, he started yelling at me, calling me a bitch. I walked further. There were a lot of people waiting for the subway, and they all looked up. He didn’t follow me, and I wish I will never see him again.

– anonymous

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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Salwa says, “fight sexual harassment”

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Salwa

The Lebanese League of Independent Activists (IndyACT) launched a new Anti-Harassment Campaign on March 30. Salwa is their animated heroine and star of a new social media campaign and her motto is “Fight Sexual Harassment.”

“’Our campaign ‘Adventures of Salwa’ comes at a time when young women cannot find any legal or social deterrent for sexual harassment in all its forms in any public place,’ said Leen Hashem, the campaign’s coordinator in IndyACT. ‘It is no longer acceptable for our streets to become a place where we are unable to walk, and being silent about such practices shows our weakness, so Salwa will speak.’”

I love it!

In addition to this new form of activism, anti-harassment activists started women-only taxi services in Beirut last year and now a Lebanese feminist group The Feminist Collective announced plans to launch a ride-sharing service, giving free rides to women waiting for taxis in the street, in an attempt to “combat harassment in taxis.” (RightRides in NYC offers a similar service, late at night on weekends.)

I love reading about the activism going on around the world to make public places safe for women!

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