Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

Archives for March 2011

Details for two more confirmed events for Anti-Street Harassment Day

By

If you’re in these areas, I hope you’ll participate and spread the word!

Delhi, India:

Bol ke , Bas Ab Aur Nahi campaign

“Let’s Unite! Let’s Fight! . ‘BE THE CHANGE’!  Let’s mark the first International Anti-Street Harassment Day on March 20th by saying NO to Street Sexual Harassment. Come join us as we go around the Delhi University north campus protesting and claiming for our space! Further details call 26691219 or write to safedelhi@jagori.org”

Cairo, Egypt:

زيارات التوعية الميدانية الثانية لمتطوعي خريطة التحرش الجنسي

يتزامن ميعادنا لعمل زيارات التوعية الميدانية في شوارع ومناطق مختلفة من مصر لمناهضة التحرش الجنسي، مع اليوم العالمي لمناهضة التحرش الجنسي في الشارع 20 مارس، وهي المبادرة التي تم الإعلان عنها في بداية العام ويمكنكم معرفة المزيد عن اليوم من خلال هذا الرابط:
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=200134909997177&ref=ts
وعلى خلاف المرة الأولى للتوعية الميدانية، فنحن الآن نعيش ظروف تاريخية عقب ثورة 25 يناير، يجدر بنا الإستفادة منها لع…مل تغيير حقيقي في كل شوارعنا، وأن ندعو للإيجابية وعدم السكوت على مشكلة التحرش الجنسي.
كيفية المشاركة:

– يخرج المتطوعين في هذا اليوم في مجموعات (نساء ورجال معا) لعمل التوعية في المناطق التي ينتمون لها وتعاني من مشكلة التحرش الجنسي
– تكون التوعية مع الأفراد الرئيسيين في الشارع أو المنطقة (أصحاب المحلات، حراس العمارات، أي مجموعات موجودة في الشارع بصورة مستمرة، اللجان الشعبية مثلا، وسائل المواصلات)
– تتم الإستعانة بدليل المتطوعين الذي أعده المتطوعون أنفسهم ويضم معلومات حول: ماذا نقول؟ ما هي الردود والأعذار المعتادة، والرد عليها)
– تتم الإستعانة بنسخة من الخريطة مطبوعة لإقناع الأفراد بخطورة المشكلة وتجنب إنكارها
– تتم الإستعانة بملصقات الخريطة والأماكن التي تبدي تعاونها تضع ملصق (المناطق الآمنة)
– لا تطول مدة الزيارة الميدانية عن ساعتين بحد أقصى
– ضرورة الرجوع لمنسق المتطوعين عقب الإنتهاء من الزيارة بالملاحظات ونتائج اليوم (من تعاون من المحلات مثلا ويمكننا الإعلان عنهم عن طريق موقعنا)
– في حالة إستخدام تويتر لتغطية تفاصيل التوعية الميدانية نرجو إستخدام #antistreetharassmentday مع #harassmap
– يمكنكم إرسال أي صور أو فيديوهات تم تصويرها خلال اليوم وتوثق تجربتكم لنا

يمكن للمتطوعين الحصول على الدليل والملصقات من أماكن سنعلن عنها قبل نهاية الأسبوع.

ملاحظة: يتزامن أيضا 19 مارس مع ميعاد الإستفتاء على التعديلات الدستورية ويوصي فريق العمل الجميع بضرورة المشاركة، ويمكن عمل التوعية في المنطقة المحيطة باللجنة التابع لها.

لتأكيد المشاركة أو لأي أسئلة أو إستفسارات يمكنكم التواصل مع :
أحمد عجور، منسق المتطوعين: 0110602110
info@harassmap.org

Share

“I hate being a woman in a patriarchal society”

By

I’m 21. Tonight I stopped at the grocery store to get some milk after my visit to the bookstore. I was reminded why I hate going anywhere by myself at night. I was verbally harassed by a gang of idiot high school boys, one that repeatedly asked me if he “smelled good.”

I ignored him until he caught up with me and said he wouldn’t leave me alone until I answered him. I turned around and met his eyes. I said, “What?”

He said, “Do I smell good”, stuffed his shirt in my face, “I’m wearing Ax.”

I said, “No, I think Ax smells like shit. Why are you asking me? There are plenty of girls in this store if you want a girl opinion, why not ask one of them?”

They remained quiet. He finally said, “Okay, I’m bothering you, right?”

I said, “What do you think?” and I left, hearing in the background, “Have a nice night.”

I hate how upset this made me feel. I am a very rational person, but in that moment it was extremely hard for me to stay calm. I felt my heart beating fast in my chest and I literally felt sick to my stomach. I hate being a woman in a patriarchal society. It’s just not fair.

– Natalie

Location: Randalls Food Market

Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem. Find suggestions for what YOU can do about this human rights issue.

Share

“Hopefully that guy learned his lesson and didn’t harass any other women that night.”

By

My most recent brush with Street Harassment was this last Tuesday aka, Mardi Gras. It actually turned out to be kind of funny.

So I was on my way to meet friends. Even though I live in NOLA, I still can forget where certain streets are. I had to back track to find them. As I’m passing a group of young guys one calls out to me, “You made a huge mistake walking by yourself little girl.”

I was actually on my cell at the time. The guy proceeds to lunge at me. I’m guessing I was supposed to jump or scream in fear. That kind of behavior pisses me off.

I responded with, “Get the F*#K away from me! Don’t ever think you can approach a woman like this again, you piece of sh*t! You’re lucky I don’t kick your ass … with heels on. Now shoo” (that’s my sanitized response, pretty sure I cursed a bit more).

His friend tried to block my way, I told him in my coldest voice to “Move” then, pushed him aside. They listened. They looked shocked, even a bit embarrassed.

My friend on the phone thought I was talking to him! I had to explain what happened – that was the funny part.

The reality is that certain guys get off on trying to intimidate women. They are sick. Hopefully, that guy learned his lesson and didn’t harass any other women that night.

– Megan

Location: Royal Street, New Orleans, LA

Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem. Find suggestions for what YOU can do about this human rights issue.

Share

One week to go until Anti-Street Harassment Day!

By

Rogers Park Young Women's Action Team

March 20 is International Anti-Street Harassment Day. The stories submitted to my blog this week alone make it very clear week why we need it:

To participate on March 20, all you need to do is agree to share a story or talk about street harassment online or in person with a family member, friend, neighbor, classmate, colleague, or even a complete stranger! Let’s break the silence around this global problem.

  • Here are 10 ideas for action on March 20
  • If you’re on twitter, tweet about street harassment with either of these hashtags: #antistreetharassmentday and #march20
  • If you plan to submit an article for a local or campus newspaper, here are useful statistics to include. Visit the OpEdProject website for tips on writing an opinion editorial and to find the contact information and submission guidelines for more than 100 newspapers. Your stories, your opinions matter!
  • You can request a press release template from me that you can tailor for your local media to announce your Anti-Street Harassment Day involvement. Email stopstreetharassment AT yahoo DOT com.
    • Find inspiration for your activism:
    • Use graphics (in 6 languages, see below), fact sheets & fliers. Download, post & share them widely and/or adapt them to create your own.
    • RSVP on Facebook if you’ll participate and invite your friends to RSVP too.

    Confirmed events:

    • Ten events are listed on CrowdMap
    • Facebook event pages:

    Media coverage from the past week alone!

    I hope you will participate in this historic day and invite your friends and family to as well. Spring is no excuse for street harassment!!

    Share

    Street harassment snapshot: March 13, 2011

    By

    Read stories, news articles, blog posts, and tweets about street harassment from the past week and find relevant announcements and upcoming street harassment events.

    Street Harassment Stories:

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

    You can read new street harassment stories on the Web from the past week at:

    Street Harassment in the News, on the Blogs:

    Events:

    • March 15: International Approaches to Stopping Street Harassment Talk, Georgia College, Museum Education Room, Milledgeville, GA, 5 p.m.
    • March 16: Street Harassment Workshop, Georgia College, Women’s Resource Center, Milledgeville, GA, 12:30 p.m.
    • March 19: Stop Street Harassment Talk, Old Parish House/Women’s Club
      4711 Knox Road, College Park, MD, 11 a.m.
    • March 19: HarassMap is organizing anti-street harassment activism in Cairo, Egypt!
    • March 20: International Anti-Street Harassment Day – happening all over the world!
    • March 22: HollaBack London meeting, 420 Kingsland Road, unknown time

    International Anti-Street Harassment Day:

    It’s only two weeks away! Participate in the first annual International Anti-Street Harassment Day on March 20!!!

    Announcements:

    New:

    On-going:

    10 Tweets from the Week:

    • HollabackEP Went for a lovely walk with my mom. Yeah, I still got harassed. Doesn’t matter what you’re wearing, or who you’re with. #StreetHarassment
    • bibliofeminista Street harassed on the streets of DC today by a man who yells: “Whoa, legs!” Me: “Yup, I have them.” #gross #streetharassment
    • TingyN #saynoto abuse and harassment in the street making people feel vulnerable in their every day lives
    • FeministInti Feminism isn’t a zero sum game, we can fight against street harassment, for abortion AND to end domestic violence and rape. It all counts.
    • Tweetsbian Creepy mullet dude gave me the turn-catcall-stare on a dark sidewalk. Think my ovaries have shriveled up a bit.
    • KimberlynnAce Nope…was wrong. street harassment is rampant as ever on international women’s day. All this tells me is that we gotta go to work. #iwd2011
    • Dina_T Is there some sort of sexual street harassment quota that Egyptian men are trying to achieve today? Kefaya!
    • equalitynow From FB: Passing some kind of legislation against street harassment. There is no equality while women feel unsafe. #100steps
    • SophiaAlMaria Make street-harassment a relic of pre-revolutionary #Egypt. Support http://www.harassmap.org/ on International Women’s Day.
    • disasterous007 If you ever walk alone to your car without thinking someone might attack you, this isn’t your day. #internationalwomensday
    Share