Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

Archives for November 2010

16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence 2010

By

Today marks the start of 16 days of activism against gender violence.

Aside from writing this quick blog post, I didn’t do anything to mark the day. I’m in India this week and I spent the day visiting the Taj Mahal. It took 10 hours to go the round-trip distance of 250 miles. I saw no gender violence on the streets, but I noticed a stark lack of women. Men were huddled along the road in groups, driving and riding in every possible mode of transportation imaginable, sitting in coffee shops, and crossing the street in large groups. I saw some women walking and riding in vehicles too, but the ratio was perhaps 1:10 or even 1:15, women to men. So while I saw no direct gender violence, the lack of women is partially because of gender violence and gender inequality in the homes and on the streets. Around the world, women’s mobility restriction in public spaces is often caused by a fear of gender violence.

I wrote a bit about this for the Ms blog earlier this week. I also want to direct you to my travel companion’s Ms blog post about the conference we attended earlier this week in Delhi. She highlighted two of the outstanding women we heard from who are working every day to end gender violence and discrimination against women in the slums and against women with disabilities. They are inspirational.

I also want to direct to you to two of the most recent stories about the amazing woman who fought against the gender violence she experienced on the New York City subway system.

I encourage you to consider doing something in the next 16 days to speak out, act out, or write out against gender violence.

Share

International conference on women’s safety and NYC flasher caught

By

Today was the final day of the 3rd International Conference on Women’s Safety: Building Inclusive Cities, in Delhi, India. I presented yesterday about sexual harassment on public transportation and also learned SO much from more than 200 women and men from 40 countries across the three day conference. I know I will be thinking, researching, and writing about what I’ve learned for some time. I wrote a blog post for Ms. Magazine after the first day of the conference, so check that out and shortly my journalist friend Brittany‘s post about the conference will be up on the Ms. Blog so check that out too.

Via CBS News

And if you haven’t already heard about the amazing woman in New York City who took down a flasher on the subway, here are a few links so you can:

Share

“Can I have a pair of your panties?”

By

I get street harassed A LOT. I have had a man touch my ass on the bus twice, had a guy touch himself while sitting next to me on the bus while looking at me, have had disgusting things said and shouted and whispered to me on the street.

Once I was on a fairly full bus- a guy came up to me and asked me quietly if he could ask me a question. I presumed he wanted to ask directions or something, so I said ok and he said, “Can I have a pair of your panties?” I said “excuse me?” and he repeated it in a disgusting voice. I raised my voice and replied so the whole bus could hear me, “EXCUSE ME, DID YOU JUST ASK ME FOR A PAIR OF MY PANTIES? HOW DARE YOU!” and everyone stared at him and he leaped out the door of the bus and ran away. That felt more good than embarrassing.

All of this has happened in Italy. I’m not a hugely attractive girl, I’m just… pretty to those who know me, I suppose, but I don’t stand out too much… I often wear skirts but with black tights and I never wear low cut tops or even high heels. And I don’t even hang around bad areas of the city. It always happens in nice neighbourhoods or in the city centre where I work.

Whenever I am harassed, I’m not usually the best looking or even most provocatively dressed woman nearby. I feel like there is something about my expression or attitude that attracts these guys. I have spoken to my friends about it and no one I know has had anything near the amount of disturbing experiences, even my drop dead gorgeous friends.

Whenever it happens, even though I am almost used to it, I feel frozen with fear and can’t be 100% sure it’s actually happening and not me being paranoid. Like when a guy touches my ass on the bus, I’m not sure.. and then as soon as I get off the bus, I know it was for real and I should have done something to shame the guy. It makes me sick to the stomach and is no way flattering. I know it’s not meant to be flattering, it’s meant to make you feel sick or angry or intimidated. The thing is, if you complain about it you end up looking vain or something. I really hate it but people just shrug and say “you’re a pretty young girl, it happens.” Well I don’t see the model-type girls in bare legs and hotpants getting harassed.

– JT

Location: Turin, Italy

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.

Share

“What are you doing, black girl? Practicing to be a whore?!”

By

I was walking up 6th Avenue and stopped to check something on my phone when this guy came up behind me and said, “What are you doing, black girl? Practicing to be a whore?!”

I was shocked but managed to pretend that I didn’t even hear him. He walked on a little further, proceeding to yell at any other black woman that passed him by, for absolutely no reason. He asked one how much it’d cost for a blowjob (apparently he only had $3 on him), told one pregnant woman that her “pussy will be mad loose in a few weeks”, and loudly accused a very old woman of asking sexual favors. No one acknowledged him, which seemed to be irritating him, but I wonder if “men” like this will ever meet their match.

– Gab

Location: Chelsea, 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.

Share

Weekly Round Up: November 21, 2010

By

Story Submissions Recap (abbreviated this weekend as I’m in India!):

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

In the News, On the Blogs:

Announcements:

Upcoming Events:

Ten Tweets from the Week:

  • JenNedeau I love a little street harassment in the afternoon. #sarcasm
  • mackensy First for me in terms of street harassment: “Hey lady! I like your FACE!” Shouted, mind you. #subtle
  • LizaEckert Taking phone photos of douches who street harass me makes feel better even when they don’t turn out.
  • meaganbray Dear creeper on the sidewalk, when you catcall at girls. It makes them want to run from you not come closer. #justatip
  • MollzieD Catcalling a woman in military fatigues? A whole new low. Come on son.
  • seasonothebitch I may b wearing over-the-knee socks 2day, but really, what’s w/the extra dose of street harassment? #90srevivalnoexcuse
  • ohgodohgod intervened on a street harassment on saturday, have developed ‘inflated sense of my own abilities’ considering buying a cape+kung fu lessons
  • Garetmagdaleno Does anyone think that street harassment has ever worked?
  • iHollaback HollabackCZECHREPUBLIC is pumped and ready to ignite! #themovementgrows
  • iHollaback Young women interested in starting HollabackMIAMI are getting their Mom involved. Which is basically the coolest thing ever. HB <3s MOMS.
Share