Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

Archives for 2011

“Don’t let these perverts get you down!”

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I live in NYC and get harassed pretty much every day. Yesterday I was in Union Square and this old man walked up to me and said, “Nice tits baby.” I ignored him and he proceeded to follow me from behind for two blocks saying things that I won’t even post here. I turned around and said, “Wtf is wrong with you?”

He took a left turn like one second later!

I’m 25 and have grown up here. I remember the first time I was harassed I was 12 and the guy was an old man too. At this point I am fed up and wish I could hit them with a baseball bat!

I recently found this site and I am proud of everyone for sharing their stories! Don’t let these perverts get you down!

– Alex

Location: Union Square, New York City

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“I’ll thank that restaurant doorman if I ever see him again, but he shouldn’t have had to save me”

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I was meant to be meeting a friend for an open mic night in aid of Earth Hour, at a university hall of residence about fifteen minutes away from my house. Getting there involves walking about ten minutes down a long, straight road (residential, with branches off it) to the next main road (a busy shopping/restaurant district) and getting a bus. It’s not the safest part of the city, but I had never before encountered any harassment along this stretch, nor seen it happen to others.

I left my house and joined the long road and was walking behind a couple. Soon I heard the footsteps of someone behind me and I instinctively started to walk closer to the couple. I looked quickly behind me and saw a man in a tracksuit, but wasn’t too panicked at this stage.

Unfortunately for me, the couple turned off at the next street and that’s when the man started calling out to me. At first I thought he was talking on the phone, but then I heard it clearer: “Hey sexy…sexy lady…” he kept calling out louder and was eventually just saying “sexy” over and over again. I tried to walk as quickly as I could without looking like I was running.

As I didn’t reply to him, he first started getting annoyed, saying things like, “What way is that to treat someone?” then, “That’s cheeky, that is, proper cheeky”, and then when I still refused to acknowledge that he was there, he started getting angry.

I didn’t pass a single other person until I got to very near the main road, but luckily managed to put a few people between us.

I was right next to my bus stop, but I couldn’t stop as I knew he would harass me further if he caught up with me, so I kept walking down the main road. This stretch is notorious for restaurant doormen trying to tempt you into their establishment, but luckily one of them took pity on me and let me past, whilst stopping my harasser (who was still following me) long enough for me to slip into the nearest shop. The man got frustrated that he had lost sight of me and sloped back off into the night, I had a lucky escape but I’ve never felt so dirty or abused in my life, and I dread to think of any other women he went on to bother that night.

I’ll thank that restaurant doorman if I ever see him again, but he shouldn’t have had to save me. Street harassers are filthy criminals and nothing more.

– Anonymous

Location: Manchester, United Kingdom

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“This was the first time I felt in a position where I could do something”

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I’m a man, I have never been harassed so I don’t know how degrading it feels but I do know it is awful to watch. I have been brought up by a very feminist Mother and a Father who treated me to stand up for others. I saw a young girl in a club who was being chatted up by a guy who was obviously drunk and much older by at least ten years but it progresses to being rather sexually aggressive as she turned him down. He started to grope and pinch as she walked away pulling her back and so on. It was embarrassing to watch and made me feel sick with anger, this was the first time I felt in a position where I could do something, I walked over and said, ‘Thats enough.’

He seemed startled but instantly his attention switched away from the girl, which was fortunate. Unfortunately his attention turned to me. I am not big or strong and I received a good beating. But I have never felt better about myself and would do it again if I saw it.

– C W-M

Location: Southend Night Club.

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13-year-old fears assault

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I’m a fairly tall girl, I recently had my 13th birthday. In the past two years, I’ve been looked at, stared at, hit on, whistled at and had cars/trucks honk at me. It’s slowly becoming more frequent and I’m sometimes scared what else is going to happen.

I’m only just a teenager, I’m in year 8. I’m scared one day a man is going to grab me and I’ll be too young and weak to fight him off, then all I could do is scream… I wish there was a better way to get this across to all the men in the world…

– Anonymous

Location: Central London

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Standing up for yourself makes you a police officer and a slag!

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I was at a cash machine on a quiet street in Newcastle city centre. I sensed someone was behind me, stood too close. I turned around and this guy started laying on thick…”You’re gorgeous…let me take you for a drink…come on, I’ll show you a good time.”

I told him to back off and then, feeling a little brave, said to him, “Do you think it’s a good idea to approach lone females, especially at cash points, and harass them? I’m not saying I’m intimidated (I was!) but another female could be??”

He then told me to f* off, got right in my face and said “You must be a f**kin’ police officer or something to speak in the way that you do – slag.”

Feeling brave again, I told him to get lost and walked away, all the while he was shouting and swearing at me.

I go through this MANY times, but this has been one of the worst incidents! Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind the furtive glances, a smile, someone trying to catch my eye. I don’t mind a nice compliment or a business card/phone number sneaked my way……but some people don’t realise how aggressive they are and how intimidating they can be. I have had numerous experiences of men approaching me and then getting nasty and aggressive when I turn them away. I hate it.

– SD

Location: Northumberland Street, Newcastle, United Kingdom

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