The Mayor-elect of New York City, Bill de Blasio, released a document with his vision for New York City and on page 63, he addresses street harassment!!
“End Street Harassment and ‘Subway Grinding.’
As mayor, Bill de Blasio will continue to aggressively push to make ‘subway grinding’ a felony punishable by jail time. Bill de Blasio will also further his efforts to prevent sexual assault by launching a wide-scale Public Services Announcement campaign that expands awareness and empowers bystanders to confront harassment when they see it, be it on the streets or in the subways.”
This is a refreshing and very positive change from how Mayor Michael Bloomberg viewed street harassment (“I know for a fact that any self-respecting woman who walks past a construction site and doesn’t get a whistle will turn around and walk past again and again until she does get one.”).
With the New York City Council and Manhattan Borough President’s Office already strong allies on this issue — for example, representatives from each spoke at New York City’s street harassment rally in April for SSH’s International Anti-Street Harassment Week effort — the possibility for comprehensive change in New York City is huge!
Thanks for being an ally and advocate, Bill de Blasio!
H/T to Hollaback!
