Archives for September 2014

Yvonne Ní Mhurchú, Limerick, Ireland, SSH Blog Correspondent

It 11:05 a.m. on Friday, September the 5^th in Limerick city and I have just had the most enjoyable half hour walk from the centre to my house.  I know what you’re thinking, “I bet that’s because she wasn’t harassed once” and you would be right, sort of!  It was also because the streets were almost deserted.  This year Limerick was chosen to be Ireland’s first National City of Culture, because of this there have been tons of festivals and events going on around the city since January and this particular weekend was no exception.  September 5^th to 7^th sees the arrival of a Giant Granny puppet (with the street theatre company Royal de Luxe), who is 25feet tall and even comes with her own wheelchair.  She will spend the next few days wandering around the city and as a result there have been a number of major road closures, making the streets practically empty.

As I walked home partly amused by the novelty of not having to worry about traffic as I crossed the road, it also dawned on me that my fear of getting harassed in the street was gone too.  The city looked like it usually does around the 4 a.m. – 5 a.m. mark, when most people are sleeping, only now it was bright.  I love to walk home after a night out if the weather is nice (which is rare in Limerick!) but I would never dream of walking home at night on my own, regardless of how empty the streets were.  I am unable to do that as there is always that underlined fear that I might get attacked.  Of course I know that if I were to get attacked it would not be my fault, but I cannot imagine other people feeling the same.  But I digress.

Right now, I don’t want to dwell on victim blaming, street harassment or rape culture.  I just want to keep the feeling I had today on my walk home with me for as long as possible; my nice, leisurely stroll home.  No harassment, no crossing the road un-necessarily, no dodging people, no planning alternative routes, no special ‘safety measures’ for peace of mind, no folding my arms to try and hide my chest from view.  It was just, calm.

I imagine that is how it must feel for men when they walk around.  No fear and complete anonymity.  How lucky they are to be able to take something like that for granted.  To just be allowed go about their business and not be made to feel uncomfortable or questioned or told to smile.

So, I guess what I am saying here is, for a woman to feel 100% comfortable walking home alone it takes extraordinary circumstances such as giant puppets and road closures.  I know it sounds absolutely ridiculous when I put it like that, but that is actually what happened today.  For the first time, ever, I didn’t feel nervous or constantly look to see who was behind me, my head was held high as I looked straight ahead, I didn’t get nervous once, I just, walked.  Thanks Granny!

Yvonne volunteers as a SATU (psychological support) worker for her local Rape Crisis Centre and is an advocate for women’s issues and equality. You can follow her, her feminist group or her anti-harassment campaign on twitter: @YvonneNiMhurchu, @lmkfeminist and @GNOLimerick.

Sarah Colome, Chicago, USA, SSH Blog Correspondent

The young college fraternity boys yelled from their second story balcony in gloomy Ann Arbor, MI as they began pre-gaming for the first football game of the season. A comfortable morning with fresh grass underfoot, I jumped – a stronger reaction than expected by both myself, and my companions.  I quickly realized that the boys were screaming at friends walking along the sidewalk, most likely headed to a competing party to partake in pre-game festivities. They weren’t even talking to me. Why then, was I still so internally shaken?

We often attribute experiences of PTSD to survivors of sexual assault, but rarely do we hear that attribution accepted in relation to those who have been bombarded by street harassment. In my 28 years of life, it has only been in recent years that I began reframing my experiences of walking down the street to suggestive commentary, solicitations, and cars creeping along the street to match my stride, as street harassment. You see, we become so conditioned to the threat of violence, that even a matching tone and approach can trigger an automated response.

My external self remained calm, composed, and keenly aware of my surroundings, a skill I adopted early in life. Meanwhile, I tried to calm my heart rate. I do not view all men as predators, as I think this perspective breeds a fear that diminishes the potential for discourse, healing, and allyship. Yet, the socialization we’ve been raised in, justifying the perception that women’s bodies are something to be bought, sold, or won, has created a dynamic where these street actions are viewed as acceptable. Often termed “rape culture,” this normalization discourages discussion and advocacy that challenges the problematic norm that ultimately results in 1 in 5 women (likely, more) experiencing sexual violence in their lifetime.

I was surprised at the time, by my reaction.  I volunteer in hospitals as a medical advocate for sexual assault victims, have worked in high crime areas, and have a lifetime of experience with street harassment and assault. Of all people, I should be able to process and discard these threats, or in this case, perceived and inaccurate threats. That’s what we’re supposed to think. Because if we start openly identifying the experiences of sexual violence survivors with a term that we attribute to war combatants, then we might need to start taking their pain seriously. But then, I suppose a cultural shift of healing starts with me owning my own trauma, as invisible to myself as it may be.

For more information on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and it’s manifestation in survivors of sexual assault and harassment, visit RAINN’s website which lists multiple resources for help.

Sarah is a progress-focused educator and advocate dedicated to building strategic coalitions centered on creating social change who serves as an adjunct professor in DePaul University’s Peace, Justice and Conflict Studies department. You can follow her updates on Linkedin or hear her perspectives on Twitter.