On an unusually hot afternoon I headed to a local market in Whitechapel to pick up some fabric from one of the stalls. Because of the weather I was wearing a strap top and long loose fitting trousers, with a tiny bit of midriff on show.
The abuse I received seemed to get worse as the day went on. The first man to harass me said, ‘Thank you’, to which instinctively I responded ‘For what?’, his reply, ‘For lighting up my day with your beauty’. Though for some women this might seem “sweet” or a “compliment”, I resent the fact that the way I look overrides my the person I am.
As I walked from Liverpool Street to Whitechapel, various men whistles and beeped their car horns at me, some I passed in the street whispering, “Alright gorgeous,” under their breath in voices that made my skin crawl.
But when one white van passed me I felt like I was about to burst out in tears. One man leered out, shouting at me, “You alright love you look all aroused – I can see your nips.”
On the busy street everyone turned round to look at me and I felt shamed for choosing to wear the clothes I had put on that morning.
This has to stop. My body is my own.
– Anonymous
Location: London, UK
Share your street harassment story for the blog.
Sara says
Thank you for sharing your story! It doesn’t matter what you wear or how you wear it. These men feel that they’re so big and important that they can intrude on your right to a peaceful existence, that their opinion should be important to you based solely on their sex and gender. Anyone who feels this is a compliment doesn’t realize the place that these comments come from, they’re not from a kind or generous place. I thank every single person brave enough to share their stories. It can feel so uncomfortable because society tells us to be ashamed or to just shut up and move on, but it helps so much when I’m dealing with the same things myself!