Brittany Oliver, Baltimore, MD, USA, SSH Blog Correspondent
Last Friday, Hollaback! Baltimore celebrated their third year of fighting street harassment by collaborating with Luminous Intervention to reach more people in Baltimore. They gathered to share stories and raise awareness at the corner of The Windup Space in Station North; it was a time to let harassers know about our strong presence.
Yesterday, I interviewed a 27-year-old female supporter of Hollaback! Baltimore who was at the event to get her thoughts on street harassment and what it means to her. Note: For this interview, she preferred to remain anonymous until.
Me: What does “street harassment” mean to you?
Supporter: I assume it means any non-wanted sexual advances or attention from strangers on the street.
Me: Have you ever been street harassed or do you know someone who has?
Supporter: I’ve experienced street harassment quite a few times and I also have friends that have as well. It’s happened to me on campus and most of the time it happens in the city.
Me: What happened and how did it make you feel?
Supporter: One time I was walking to my car at night in Fells Point from a yoga class and two guys in a truck pulled over to ask if I needed a ride home. I rejected their offer, but the more I rejected it the more they continued to follow me down the street. After being silent and not saying anything, the driver called me a “bitch” and sped off down the street.
I’ve experienced street harassment so much in Baltimore that I’ve become numb to it. At first it used to get to me, but I’ve completely trained myself to not react because some men are just stupid and there’s not much I can do anyway.
Me: Did you report it or tell someone about it?
Supporter: No, I didn’t want to report it at all.
Me: Why not?
Supporter: I’m really shy and I didn’t see how reporting it would have made a difference at the time. I was alone and outnumbered; I thought the most important thing to do was to get away from them. Even if I had reported it, I don’t think anything would have been done about it.
Me: Were you familiar with Hollaback! Baltimore before or after that incident? Do you find it helpful?
Supporter: Before this incident, I was not familiar. Ending street harassment is not going to happen over night. I think the organization is doing a great job, but I think the key is education. The more people who know about street harassment the better. And by being involved with the movement, I’ve learned to not be silent about my experiences. I’ve also been able to let other people know that is serious and not to be taken lightly.
Me: Before learning about street harassment, did you have any assumptions about it?
Supporter: Before I used to think street harassment was a compliment, but I know differently now. I used to think the way a person dressed was to blame for being harassed on the streets. I have a lot of friends who think it’s flirting and should be expected when walking down the street. I never blamed myself for being street harassed, but I used to think that was just the way of the world.
Me: What change do you wish to see?
Supporter: I want the streets of Baltimore to be safer for women. I want to be able to walk down any street and not feel like it’s a dangerous space. I want more men to become aware of their behavior and develop ways to be more approachable. No one should ever have to be harassed when they are on the street, because it’s supposed to be a public space for everyone.
Me: Any words of advice for someone who experience street harassment?
Supporter: Don’t be afraid to share your story. Kissing noises, sexual comments or sexual touching is not a compliment. Try documenting your experiences by taking photos and recordings. I would also recommend taking experiences. I’ve also been able to let other people know that is serious and not to be taken lightly.
Me: What change do you wish to see?
Supporter: I want the streets of Baltimore to be safer for women. I want to be able to walk down any street and not feel like it’s a dangerous space. I want more men to become aware of their behavior and develop ways to be more approachable. No one should ever have to be harassed when they are on the street, because it’s supposed to be a public space for everyone.
Me: Any words of advice for someone who experience street harassment?
Supporter: Don’t be afraid to share your story. Kissing noises, sexual comments or sexual touching is not a compliment. Try documenting your experiences by taking photos and recordings. I would also recommend taking self-defense classes to learn how to physically protect yourself.
Brittany Oliver is a recent graduate of Towson University and works in the non-profit communications sector and supports local anti-street harassment advocacy through Hollaback! Baltimore. She blogs at brittuniverse.wordpress.com and publicly rants on Twitter, @btiara3.
