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Archives for September 2012

Welcome, SSH Board Members!

September 19, 2012 By HKearl

The Stop Street Harassment team is growing and I am thrilled to introduce our new board members!

They each bring an important perspective to the issue and are dedicated to making public places safer.  They’re also part of the team working to raise funds so we can do a groundbreaking national study on street harassment — please donate and help make that happen.

Anna Bavier
Elizabeth Bolton

 

Nuala Cabral
Mark Hutchens

 

Holly Kearl
 

Zabie Khorakiwala
 

 

 

 

Layla Moughari
Jennifer Scott

 

 

Relando Thompkins

Board of Directors (2012-14)

Anna Bavier is a community connector and works with a variety of LGBT organizations in promoting health, wellness and activism programs in Washington, DC. A native Minnesotan and Howard University graduate, Anna earned a Marketing degree and has worked in both commercial insurance brokerage & auditing as well as nonprofits specializing in volunteer management & fundraising. As someone who loves to travel, she is striving to ensure everyone can enjoy a street harassment-free life in ANY city or town whether it’s while running, partaking in nightlife or headed to work.

Elizabeth Bolton is the managing editor for the American Association of University Women, where she oversees the production of almost all communications materials for the organization. Prior to joining AAUW, she reported on federal labor law, sexual harassment in schools, and grants for Thompson Publishing Group. She holds a master’s degree in public policy with a focus in women’s studies from George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in political science from American University. As a runner, she hopes to help create a world in which all women feel free to run on streets and trails wherever and whenever they want.

Rhode Island native Nuala Cabral is an educator, activist and award-winning filmmaker who entered into anti-street harassment activism in 2009 with her short film Walking Home.Upon obtaining her Masters in Media Studies at Temple University, Nuala co-founded FAAN Mail, a media literacy and activist project formed by women of color in Philadelphia. Nuala is passionate about using media and media literacy to build understanding, share silenced voices and provoke social change. A witness to the normalization of street harassment in her community, Nuala joins the movement with the understanding that another reality is possible and necessary.

Mark Hutchens is an analyst at Booz Allen Hamilton. He has an MBA from James Madison University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Roanoke College. He is a strong advocate for ending gender-based street harassment and has volunteered at a number of ant-istreet harassment events. His photographs from an anti-street harassment march have been used on numerous websites and one was was published in the Ms. magazine spring 2012 issue.

 

 

 

Holly Kearl founded Stop Street Harassment first as a website and companion blog in 2008. Next she wrote the book Stop Street Harassment: Making Public Places Safe and Welcoming for Women (Praeger Publisher, 2010). Since then, she’s given more than 50 talks around the world about this issue and has received widespread media attention for her comprehensive work around ending street harassment. In spring 2011, she founded International Anti-Street Harassment Day, which, became International Anti-Street Harassment Week in 2012. She also works as a program manager full time for the American Association of University Women (AAUW), a women’s equity nonprofit based in Washington, DC. She received a Master’s degree from George Washington University and degrees in history and women’s studies from Santa Clara University.

Zabie Khorakiwala is a sexual assault specialist and currently manages the educational and prevention programs on UC Irvine’s campus related to sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, and stalking. Zabie earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Social Behavior and Education from the University of California, Irvine and did her graduate work in Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs at The George Washington University. Zabie is also a certified yoga instructor through Core Power Yoga. She is the founder of Transcending Sexual Violence through Yoga, an organization with a simple mission: empowering survivors to heal through yoga. Zabie is also a founder of the Young Professionals Society of Orange County and she manages the philanthropic events of the organization. She is widely recognized for her hard work and dedication to her field, most recently as a finalist for WIN’s Young Women of Achievement Award and as a recipient of UC Irvine’s Order of the Laurel Award and the Janet Loxley Award. For more information on her yoga work with survivors of sexual violence, visit her page on The Breathe Network.

Layla Moughari is a Program Associate at the Women’s Learning Partnership, where she coordinates joint women’s rights programs in Afghanistan, Iran, Palestine, and Turkey. She also is the coordinator of the International Women’s Democracy Network, a network of civil society actors and activists committed to increasing women’s civic and political participation. Previously, Layla was a Policy Analyst with the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. Layla is committed to eradicating violence against women and ending street harassment in the US and internationally. Most recently, during International Anti-Street Harassment week in March she spoke on a panel about the similarities between street harassment in Tehran, Iran and in DC. Layla has a Master’s degree in Public Policy with a concentration in Women’s Studies from the George Washington University and graduated cum laude from the University of Florida.

Jennifer Scott is the Assistant Director for Interpersonal Violence Services at the North Carolina State University Women’s Center. She obtained her Master’s Degree in Kinesiology from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. She has been doing sexual and interpersonal violence prevention and education work for almost 10 years. She approaches her work from a social justice perspective, examining the intersections of identity, power, and society. She loves working with college students, and is excited to serve on the Stop Street Harassment Board.

Relando Thompkins is a social justice worker interested in conflict resolution, improving intergroup relations, and using peace as non-violent action. Through service, conflict resolution through non-violent communication, and social action, he works to build more equitable and inclusive communities and to increase intercultural understanding. By exploring social identities through written word, film & video, and other forms of media, He hopes to continue to expand and enrich conversations about social issues that face our society, and to find ways to take social action while encouraging others to do so as well in their own ways. His website and blog: Notes from an Aspiring Humanitarian (N.A.H.) can be found at relandothompkins.com

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Filed Under: nonprofit

“That “idiot” ruined the rest of my day”

September 19, 2012 By Contributor

My boyfriend and I went on holiday to Blackpool last week. There were a few incidents of harassment and I have to say one of them really upset me….

As usual I got a few funny looks off people (I should be used to it by now) the odd “Ew” muttered as I walked past but what really struck me down was when I was walking through the town centre, near the Blackpool tower and a man walked past me looking me up and down then said “fucking hell” in a what I would describe a “disgusted” tone. It happened so quickly and unexpected. I turned around to look at him and he kept looking back at me with a smirk on his face. I felt absolutely awful. I was full up with a cold and was already feeling miserable because it wore me down when I was supposed to be enjoying myself.

My boyfriend didn’t see it happen because he was a few metres ahead of me. I told him and he just told me that people like him are idiots. Yes that’s true but that “idiot” ruined the rest of my day. I didn’t feel like doing anything else and just wanted to go straight back to the hotel and cry out of frustration. But for his sake I swallowed my anger and continued “enjoying” our day.

Just to note, I know I shouldn’t have to justify myself but no I am not the most attractive woman. I am slightly overweight, taller than the average female, have my hair natural because straightening it takes up too much time and wear light make up. I don’t doll myself up like most women my age do (I’m 21) I never even used to wear make up but I’m self conscious of my pale face so I wear some light foundation. I love my long red wavy hair but sometimes it gets frizzy. Because I was feeling under the weather that day I didn’t look my best.

I am so sick of constantly feeling worried about the way I look. Just because I’m a woman, I have to look pretty despite how I’m feeling otherwise I am going to be judged. That is exactly what happened that day. Fed up isn’t the word.

– Clarice

Location: Blackpool, UK

Donate to help fund a national study on street harassment.

Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem.

 

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Filed Under: Stories, street harassment

Egyptian Street Harasser Murders Woman

September 18, 2012 By HKearl

Trigger Warning —

In rare instances, street harassment ends in murder (here are a few examples) and sadly, that is what recently happened in Egypt. The Egyptian Centre for Women’s Rights just released this press release about it:

“The Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights (ECWR) strongly condemns the horrible accident murder of a young lady who is 20 years old in Assuit via an Automatic rifle. The incident began when “Iman Mostafa Mohamed” was walking in the village’s main street with her friend, then she felt that someone touched part of her body that is considered a sexual assault, so she spit on his face and insulted him and said: “I will get my rights back..I will get my rights back against your will.”

Therefore, he pushed her to the ground and kicked her; then he shot her before she rises and she died in a matter of few minutes. This is terrible crime happened within the increase of sexual harassment which is considered a cancer that should be treated as soon as possible.

Based upon ECWR’s close monitoring of the phenomenon and noting the increase in the percentage of sexual harassment crimes, ECWR sent a law draft to President Mohamed Morsy on Monday 27 August 2012 in order for him to adopt the law draft of criminalizing sexual harassment for the year 2012 by amending the No.58 of 1937 and no response was received. Additionally, the law draft was sent several times to the elected councils with no response as well.

It should be noted that the law draft was developed through continuous efforts for three years on behalf of the legal personnel, security personnel, civil society representatives and activists. This law draft was developed based on two studies; the first, “sexual harassment is a social cancer” where the sample of 3000 women mentioned that they were harassed at least once before.

As per the second, “Clouds in Egypt’s Sky” of 50% women and 50% men sample where 83% of the Egyptian women said that they were harassed and 63% of the Egyptian men mentioned that they sexually harassed at least one time before.

This is a serious indicator concerning women’s safety in the streets, as this phenomenon of sexual harassment is leading to murder crimes.

Consequently, the Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights ECWR demands voluntarily defending the victim and asking the state to take the necessary and strict procedures by:

Fair and quick trial of the murderer, so that the Egypt’s streets shall not turn into a violent environment like street wars.

Passing the suggested law of sexual harassment that was sent before to President Mohamed Morsy in order to adopt it as part of his legislative authorities that were passed to him due to the absence of the legislative council.”

It’s horrible that she was murdered simply for standing up for herself. What a terrible, senseless end to her young life.

Her story shows the seriousness of street harassment and it illustrates how a woman can never be sure what kind of reaction will escalate the situation. Maybe in another situation, her response would have scared or embarrassed the harasser and caused him to leave or apologize. The onus really should not be on women to have to figure out in a split second what will be the “best” response, the one that will keep them from getting spit on, chased, called a “bitch,” assaulted or murdered. (And for those who may say, well her angry response provoked him, first that is victim-blaming and second, other murders by street harassers have occurred when the woman ignored them!) The onus should be on men to not harass and on bystanders and society at large to work on prevention efforts and hold harassers accountable.

Until there is a cultural shift so that street harassment is no longer dismissed, trivialized, or blamed on the harassed person, street harassment will continue. Will a law criminalizing it help spur a cultural shift? Maybe. But Egypt’s political landscape is unstable so it seems unlikely it will be enforced. I would bet that the citizens who are taking it upon themselves to patrol for harassers will have more of an impact right now than an unenforced law.

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Filed Under: News stories Tagged With: Egyptian Centre for Women's Rights, murder, street harassment

Gangnam Style Warning

September 17, 2012 By HKearl

Almost 200,000,000 people have watched the Gangnam Style video. It’s weird and funny and has a catchy song, but it includes the sexual objectification of women, as do WAY too many music videos. I just watched the season premiere of Saturday Night Live and one skit included a spoof of the video. Even though it was abbreviated, they were sure to include the “staring at women’s butts” scene.  Disappointing.

This kind of harmful mass messaging helps normalize street harassment and disrespect for women. It’s not okay.

Update: Someone on Facebook shared a link to this article about how the video – including the sexual objectification of women – is satire. But how many of the nearly 200,000,000 people will know that? I’d bet that for most, it’s just one more image that goes into their brain and helps normalize sexual objectification.

Thoughts?

 

 

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Filed Under: street harassment Tagged With: disrespect, Gangnam style, music videos, street harassment

“Harassers live everywhere”

September 17, 2012 By Contributor

So I’m in rural Maine. We recently bought a tiny cottage here. And my husband bought me a bike. I haven’t biked since I was a kid, and never on rural roads with no shoulders. When I first moved here in July I took my bike out and tried the road. I wasn’t too nervous because it’s Maine, right? Not NYC, my other home, where everyone is in a hurry, and people honk if you are too slow crossing the street. But I was wrong.

Although all but one car or truck that passed me, slowed down and moved over, one guy in a big souped up truck honked at me and startled me so much I swerved over onto the gravel and crashed. Bleeding knees, humiliation, and several cars stopping to see if I were okay–because truly most people in Maine are courteous. I got back on my bike and hustled home and and tended my wounds and left my bike in the shed where it sat until yesterday when my husband patiently rode behind me on the road, giving me pointers, building back my confidence enough that today I set a goal to bike about four miles just on our road.

And it was going fine, cars moving over, some waving at me, the school bus pulling over, and then a big souped up truck zoomed past me, very close honking, windows down, and shouted, “get the fuck off the road,” before the truck disappeared over the next hill.  I wanted to crumple into a heap and cry.

But I was about two miles from home, so I kept on biking and as I pumped I thought about how if I’d been a male biker, or a more aggressive biker, maybe they wouldn’t have honked. Did I look weak and pathetic and like someone they (it was two males) could abuse?

I got mad. I decided, this is my road too. I have the right to bike and be safe, and I was at the edge of the road, not in the middle. And guess what, because it’s rural Maine, and there’s a chance I’ll see these guys and get yelled at again if I continue biking every day. Now I’m looking forward to my bike ride tomorrow.

Make my day, stupid male harassing truckers! I’ll be watching for you and memorizing your license plate to report to the police.

Lots of people think harassment only happens in big cities, but if you are on foot, or bike, for me, my worst experiences have happened in less populated areas. Harassers live everywhere!!!

– Beckie

Location: Maine

Donate to help fund a national study on street harassment.

Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem.

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Filed Under: street harassment

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