Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

Archives for June 2010

Three men rape homeless woman in NYC

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Three male attackers. Image via New York Post

This story makes me sick (via New York Post):

“Three thugs grabbed a young woman waiting for a bus on the Upper East Side early yesterday and dragged her into Central Park, where she was sexually assaulted and robbed [by the men], cops said.

The 23-year-old victim told cops the attack took place about 300 feet inside the park near East 86th Street at around 3:20 a.m.

The woman, who lives in a Bronx homeless shelter, ran out of the park seminude. She was spotted by a cabdriver, who gave her a shirt and called 911.

She was treated at a hospital.

Sources said she appeared to be intoxicated.

Cops released video images of three suspects in a nearby drugstore around the time of the alleged attack.”

A few things jump to my mind when I read this.

1) I hope they catch these guys. I do not want them out and about attacking women.

2) I’m glad she got away.

3) Why the HELL did they include the sentence “Sources said she appeared to be intoxicated.”!? Why does that matter? She was waiting for a goddamn bus and three men attacked her. They are to blame whether she was sober or drunk. Please, reporters, stop engaging in this type of victim blaming!

4) Thank goodness for good people like the cab driver who gave her a shirt and called 911!!

5) Her experience highlights the increased vulnerability of homeless and low-to-middle income women to street harassment and sexual assault because they must rely on foot or public transportation to get everywhere. Public transportation should be safe! If you’re in NYC and care about this issue, look into RightRides, which gives free late night rides home to women and members of the LGBQT community for this reason and into New Yorkers for Safe Transit, a group working to make public transportation safe for everyone.

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“Fight for what we believe in”

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I think it’s so important to hear from women around the world regarding street harassment, so I’m cross-posting this piece from a woman in Nepal via Booksie:

“A woman walks down the street and then a man she does not know makes an obscene noise or gesture. Either she retorts or ignores him and walks on. Is the story same to the events that you have to go through? What do you do to fight the street harassment or you just let it go. I am writing to all the readers whoever relates to me and to all the people who have once a while made an attempt teasing a girl or making a passerby awkward. I don’t deny that even guys can be the victim of street harassment but because I am a girl I can exactly tell you what it feels like.

Some of the men (as some men are ones causing street harassment) do not realize their actions feel like harassment to women. For those I have something to say. Treat women with dignity and respect. Ask yourself, “How will my mother, sister, spouse feel if treated in the same way?” If you have a good reason talking to any unknown women, address her with smile or decent language. Do not address her with whistle, honk or kissy noises. The way a woman is dressed does not show if she wants to be commented on. She may be dressed up for special events or specific person. Never follow a woman without a good reason like: she dropped a wallet and you are trying to return. If you see others doing it, refuse to join and discourage others from doing so. At a suitable time, raise the issue about public harassment with your friends and explain why it is inappropriate to treat people that way.

There is no any ‘best’ way to response the harasser in every circumstance. But at least we can put effort Making Street safer for us. Stand for yourself and speak up. Be instant; don’t regret later for doing nothing. If any security person is around you, seek for the help or ask to the people nearby, they might lend a hand. You should use a strong body language. Use statements not questions. Like, ‘do not touch me’ not ‘will you please leave me alone.’ Sometimes strong stare is stronger than the words, so it might help you. It’s obvious that we cannot find mirror image every time we walk on the streets but it is possible to fight for what we believe in. All I am trying to infer is that if someone has done harm to your dignity even in a small way, fight it back, and take a step.

Priyanka Pokhrel
Inhured International
Lalitpur, Kathmandu Nepal.”

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More than 45 minutes of stalking

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I was walking down the street in downtown Toronto, and a guy in front of me walking in the opposite direction stopped to oogle me and seemed to mouth something like “Wow” (I was wearing my headphones and walking very quickly, so I ignored it.) After 10 minutes of walking, I reached a bookstore and used their facilities on the second floor. Immediately after leaving the restroom, the same man who I encountered 10 minutes ago was outside and blocked my path, saying, “Wow, what’s your background?”

I got out of his way and said, “I have to go. Bye” (I’m usually not this polite, but I was just taken a back by his creepiness/stalking).

I spent another 20 minutes downtown, browsing in various stores, etc. Then I walked another 10 minutes to a nearby mall. I spent about 10 minutes in one store, I tried something on, then I purchased it. Then, as I was exiting that store, who do you think I found right outside? Creepy stalker guy.

I try to bolt away, he proceeds to run after me, trying to hand me his number. I yell to him, “NO! F*** OFF!” He then backs off. I walk home, but am paranoid that this creep may be following me still and find out where I live.

Oh yeah, and someone else harassed me on my way back home.

– anonymous

Location: downtown Toronto

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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“Can’t Even Drive With My Windows Open”

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I have shared multiple stories here now, each incident taking place in Massachusetts, either in or near Boston. Brockton, East Boston, Lexington, and now, Revere.

It was a fairly nice day when I was driving on the Lynn Way towards Boston, driver’s window open. I had my music on and wasn’t bothering anyone when an older looking black Honda drove up in the lane next to me. Three or four guys, probably teenagers or in their early twenties began to stuck to their heads out of their own windows and stare at me, and it was clear they wanted me to make eye contact with them. I denied them this, and instead rolled up all my windows and
continued to drive like nothing was happening.

Then, they began to stick their hands out of their windows and point at me, which had me starting to feel terrified. what the hell did that mean? Why were they pointing at me? Probably to get my attention, of course. I refused to bat an eyelash at them. They, however, refused to quit acting like idiots and didn’t stop until they finally turned off towards Point of Pines, Revere.

I know harassment is everywhere, but I’ve had too many stories in MA alone, so I urge all MA ladies to report their stories. Clearly the men here aren’t getting the message.

The boys were driving a Black Honda, MA plate number 6WE-590.

– anonymous

Location: Revere, 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.

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“It’s payback time, boys” – street harassment game

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Last fall, a New York City graduate student* contacted me because she was creating a first person shooter game about street harassment. We chatted about street harassment and I hoped to include her work in my forthcoming book, but alas I could not include every activist I came across due to space constraints. I will include a profile of her in a new activists section of my website this summer.

Anyway, after a particularly annoying harassment experience, she was talking with a friend about street harassment and out of the conversation came the idea to use her programming strength to create a product she calls “definitely controversial but designed to be playful and silly and totally over the top!” In the game she uses real comments harassers have said to her and her friends and family. This week she let me know that her first person shooter game is done. Here’s her description:

” Ladies, are you sick and tired of catcalling, hollering, obnoxious one-liners and creepy street encounters? Tired of changing your route home to avoid uncomfortable situations?

IT’S PAYBACK TIME, BOYS…..

Tell your friends, co-workers, sisters, mothers and grandmothers.  This is the game you’ve all been waiting for…”

Hey Baby is a playful and provocative video game about street harassment. Through a 3D game and website, Hey Baby is designed to spark discussion about women’s experiences of public space. Play the game at www.heybabygame.com.

The Player encounters a series of creepy men who confront her with real comments as she navigates through the game world.  The Player can choose to shoot or to shower them with love.  Hey Baby is based on hundreds of real stories, collected from women throughout the world. Using an ironic mix of humor, violence and over-the-top graphics, this unsettling game encourages open access to public space.

My pal Brittany interviewed she and featured her game at Change.org’s site and in the latest issue of Bitch magazine, and here is a review of it on Sexy Videogameland and Salon.com, so I refer you to those articles for more info.

Thoughts?

*the game creator has asked me to delete her name because of the controversy the game is creating and how directly it is attached to her name

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