Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

Archives for April 2015

New Global Actions

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While not officially part of International Anti-Street Harassment Week (April 12 – 18), these two new calls to action are related, relevant, and important. Take part if you can!

On April 12, take action at a local Chinese Embassy to demand the release of five Chinese feminist activists who were detained in early March for planning to distribute information about sexual harassment on the transit system. #FreetheBeijingFive

“Please take action at any hour before 12:00 am April 13th, Beijing time.

Location: Your nearest Chinese Embassy or Consulate
Slogan:
1. Release Chinese Feminists Now!
2. Anti-Sexual Harassment is Not a Crime!
3. Stop Violence Against Feminists!

Suggested Format:
1. Wear a masks with the faces of the five feminists to signal that you are in solidarity with them.
2. Wear wedding dresses with red paint/ink to replicate their previous action, “Bloody Brides”
3. Chant the words Shi-Fang (meaning release in Chinese pinyin) Wu Rongrong, Shi-Fang Wei Tingting, Shi-Fang Wang Man, Shi-Fang Zheng Churan, Shi-Fang Li Tingting.

Please post the protest images and short reports on FreeChineseFeminists Facebook. Or email 45women@gmail.com

If you need pictures of masks or have other questions, please email 45women@gmail.com.

45Women, a group of concerned feminists.”

On April 14, take action to demand the return of the 230 Nigerian school girls who are still missing a year after they were kidnapped from their school. #BringBackOurGirls

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Bonus Day: Anti-Street Harassment Week 2015

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A few groups are getting a head-start on International Anti-Street Harassment Week (April 12 – 18) and are holding events on April 11…Hundreds of people will gather in New York City for a rally, the University of Scranton is holding a resource fair, and the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre in London is holding a street demonstration.

We wish them and everyone else who is participating great luck with their/your events and actions. Thank you for making the time for this. It is important. There is power in our collective outrage and voice. We hope it will be an empowering experience personally and one that positively impacts communities around the globe.

 
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Brazil: When did we become enemies?

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Juliana Guarany, Brazil, Blog Correspondent

The discussion over street harassment – and violence against women in general – has grown to a level of insanity on the Internet. I have been watching several debates online ending in a series of mutual insults from men to women and vice-versa. On one side is the argument that men are only trying to give a compliment to a stranger. On the other side, women say that this behavior is invasive and annoying, to say the least.

Of course we can find women and men on both sides, but essentially, this has turned into a battle of the sexes in a very aggressive way. Whenever there is an argument against street harassment, a man shows up to show how offended he is by being accused of harassment just by saying a girl is pretty. Or even trying to prove he knows better and women should listen to him. On the other hand, women – mostly feminist activists – simply can’t deal with men anymore and the minute a man decides to talk he receives aggressive answers (not that they aren’t justifiable, this simply happens).

What I don’t understand is: if women are saying this behavior is bad, why is it so hard for men to acknowledge that and simply stop? Why do men counter-argue it by saying it wasn’t their intention to be mean?

Intention vs effect

I’m sure a strange man would not have the intention to hurt a strange woman on the street, but this is the problem right here: no matter what the intention is, the effect of it is unwanted by women. For that reason, and for that reason only, they should stop.

It’s like getting a meat dish for a vegetarian everyday because you think that dish is good, even though the vegetarian doesn’t like it. Just stop!

Instead of stopping, men become aggressive and Internet debates are filled with hate and we can see men and women growing apart. This movement is hurting both sides and not having much of an effect on those who actually practice violence.

So, what should be done?

First of all, if you are a man, think about your actions towards women in general and notice if, maybe, you tend to invade their personal space uninvited. It is important that you pay attention to it and respect a woman just as you would respect another man. Change that and you will be ok.

Now, if you are a man and you don’t catcall and you do respect everyone’s personal spaces, I guess there is no reason for you to be offended by it, is it? So don’t get offended if you’re not the target.

Now, if you’re a woman, know this: it’s hard not to get offended by hurtful responses online, but keep the debate to an upper level, otherwise aggressiveness will just take over.

It is important to understand that a message of respect is being passed here and if we act aggressively, the only message that goes through is more violence.

When we elevate the debate, there is a chance to get the message across and create collaboration. Let’s try not to look at every man as an enemy, so then we can get along and respect each other.

Juliana is a fellow from Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and, together with Hamburg University, in Germany, is creating a digital campaign to connect all feminist initiatives around the globe. Read her blog Whistleblower and follow her on Twitter, @juguarany.

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More than 30 Countries will Speak Out!

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
04/07/15

Contact:
Holly Kearl, hkearl@stopstreetharassment.org

More than 30 Countries to Participate in 5th Annual International Anti-Street Harassment Week

WASHINGTON — In its fifth and largest year, International Anti-Street Harassment Week will be observed in more than 30 countries from April 12-18, 2015. Tens of thousands of people will take action to speak out against the prevalent social problem of gender-based street harassment, something that studies suggest most women and many LGBTQ individuals face.

Groups in countries like Afghanistan, France, Kenya, Nepal, Nicaragua, Mexico, South Korea, and Zimbabwe will host various actions, both offline and online.

Stop Harcelement de Rue members will distribute information about street harassment at various Paris subway stations. CoHabita/Habitajes will paste 65 “Stop Telling Women to Smile” posters along 45 stations on Line 1 of the Metrobus in Mexico City.  Volunteers from HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation Nepal will be chalking sidewalks and hanging posters around Kathmandu throughout the week. The Women Against Street Harassment Movement in Zimbabwe will be speaking at schools, handing out information, hanging posters, appearing on radio and television, and inviting people to sign a street harassment petition.

“Street harassment is a global problem that limits people’s access to public spaces,” said Holly Kearl, author two books and a national study on street harassment and the founder of the nonprofit organization Stop Street Harassment. “I am thrilled that so many people plan to band together to challenge this human rights violation and to advocate for safe public spaces for all.”

Stop Telling Women to Smile is a primary co-sponsor of the week and any interested people and groups can request PDFs of the famous “Stop telling women to smile” posters and paste them on walls in their community on April 17. “The idea behind the wheat pasting night is to create a night of solidarity,” founder Tatyana Fazlalizadeh said. “People from all over can participate in a night of action, knowing that hundreds of people in different parts of the world are doing the same thing.”

Events hosted in the United States include a rally in New York City; chalk walks in states like Arizona, Florida, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, and Pennsylvania; workshops on bystander intervention, and the distribution of information about harassment on transit systems. The Washington, DC-area alone has eight scheduled events. The week falls within Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

There will be many virtual events as well, including a Google+ Hangout panel on April 12 at 7 p.m. EDT and six Tweet Chats (use hashtag #EndSH). Twenty groups will co-host a Tweetathon on April 14 to share facts and resources about street harassment throughout the day from seven time zones.

Any individual can help speak out against street harassment during the week simply by sharing stories on and offline. Visit www.MeetUsontheStreet.org for more information about the week and how to be involved.

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Stop Street Harassment is a nonprofit organization dedicated to documenting and ending gender-based street harassment worldwide through public education and community mobilization. SSH organizes International Anti-Street Harassment Week annually and helps activists with local campaigns through the Safe Public Spaces Mentoring Program. They commissioned a 2014 nationally representative survey on street harassment in the USA.

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