Three times a week I take the bus home from my job as a nanny back to my house. The bus stop is located on a busy street, comprised of many people returning home from work at the end of the day. I am never waiting for more than about 10 minutes at this stop, and I can count at least 10 grown men staring at me from their cars every single day. These men range from men in pick up trucks, men in suits in fancy cars, or a group of 18 year old boys who think they’re going to impress or compliment me by smiling/nodding/staring/harassing me.
Today was the worst day; I’m a 22 year old woman and a 50 year old man yelled at me from three lanes over ʺI have an extra seat in my car for you!ʺ and smiled creepily. When I gave him a look of disgust he just laughed and rolled up his window. About five minutes later a group of three younger men rolled up and stared at me, one even having the audacity to stick his head out the window. Annoyed and tired of the harassment I said ʺCould you be a little more obvious?ʺ and they replied, ʺWe aren’t trying to beʺ and as they drove off yelled ʺsee you around.”
Do these idiots know how much this makes me hate riding the bus?
I have a RIGHT as a woman and a human being to utilize public transportation without being harassed. I have a RIGHT as a woman and a human being to read my book on a bench without being asked to hop in your car. I have a RIGHT as a woman and a human being not to be treated as an object. Obviously, these people don’t respect that.
These men don’t realize that this isn’t a funny joke. It’s not something I take lightly. I don’t like it, I don’t want it, LEAVE ME ALONE.
So frustrated and sick and tired and annoyed and done with people thinking that street harassment is a joke.
Optional: What’s one way you think we can make public places safer for everyone?
Have bus stops that are covered or at least somehow sheltered from the passing cars. The single bench on the side of the street makes me an ideal candidate to be yelled at.
– A
Location: Sydney, Australia
Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for more idea
