Liz Merino, Massachusetts, USA, SSH Blog Correspondent
Nothing makes me happier than the time surrounding dusk on a summer night. Though quick to set, walking under the sun and into the stars is both a beautiful and humbling experience.
I walk my dog, Clancy, down a main street and into the surrounding neighborhood in Dedham, MA. One street in particular is my favorite, with a winding curve, a canopy of trees and the Charles River along its edges.
What I don’t enjoy, though, is the street harassment that accompanies my nightly walks. Beeping car horns, tires slowing down and yelling out of windows is not what I want, or need, when I leave my home. And I know I’m not alone.
“Everyone seems to go crazy in the summer… When I lived Downtown there was one day I got hit on 13 times, just wearing a white tank top and shorts. Half of the men were yelling at me from across the street, yelling ‘hey baby’…. after an hour and a half I just went home. Later on I changed my outfit,” said Boston resident Stephanie Pan.
According to 2014 Stop Street Harassment statistics, 65 percent of women have suffered from street harassment in the U.S.
Maybe I should just suck it up and ignore it. It becomes so routine that most of the time I do. But my mother always worries, and in that, I suppose I should remain aware. If I’m staring at the vivid blue sky as I leave my office in Boston for too long or gaze into the accompanying woods along my Dedham walk, who will be staring back unbeknownst to me? A stare? A long look of undressing, stripping layer of layer of my clothes off my body, is more what I should call it.
“When walking through Boston, I find ignoring it to be the best solution, but it’s not a panacea. The anxiety reverberates. I always have a plan of escape ready, and think of what items in my bag are easily accessible and can double as self-defense weapons. I understand that sometimes it’s meant to be harmless or a compliment, but that does nothing to pacify the fear because letting your guard down means being more vulnerable than you already are,” said Rachael Durant, a Framingham resident interning in Boston for the summer.
I don’t want to be called baby or sexy when I’m walking anywhere during my day or night. I definitely don’t need to be told to come over and f*** you either, because you’re sitting in the safety of your car, and the traffic light is turning green, and you’re gone but your words are still echoing around my ears.
I didn’t leave my house for you.
I walk three blocks on my way to work in the financial district. Some mornings are great, the sun shines and with an iced coffee in hand I enjoy a quiet walk before my day begins. Other days though, are not as pretty.
Instead of the beeping horns as in my walks in Dedham, I am accompanied by close, under the breath remarks and whistles I wouldn’t even use on my dog. It comes from all types of men, some my age, some old enough to be my father.
I usually return a hard stare, a few choice words of ‘don’t talk to me like that,” or ‘who do you think you are?’.
“I logically know that not every person I pass, specifically a man, is looking to attack me… I shouldn’t walk with headphones in so I can hear if someone’s coming up behind me. If I walk closer to the street, it’s easier to get away,” said Berklee College of Music student Kathlynn Sell about an area of Boston near her school.
I actually had a man almost follow me my whole way to work last week. I noticed him staring at me on the subway. After we made eye contact he looked away, but throughout the ride I could feel his eyes on me as I read my book. As I left the subway station and looked back he was there, and again when I looked back at the next corner. I walked into a Dunkin Donuts and prayed that when I came out, he would be gone. He was.
A million thoughts ran through my head. What if it wasn’t bustling Boston rush hour? Would someone have helped me if I screamed or caused a scene? What if it was night and I was alone?
“Before I left for college, my dad wanted me to take a self-defense class. I didn’t. But when I moved into my first apartment, he made me bring an aluminum bat that I kept near the door – so that should give you an idea of what he’s told me over the years: ‘Don’t throw the first punch, but come back swinging,’ said Boston resident Alex Lane.
As summer sets in, please remember that bare arms, naked legs and pretty dresses are not an invitation to make comments at me, or about me, or any other women you may see.
The clothes we wear are not for you. Like most people, I’m just trying to get to my job, back to my house, and enjoy my walk along the way.
When does street harassment start? Who does it happen to? Why does it happen?
In reality, it knows no age, color or sexual preference.
“My mother is very paranoid, she was so paranoid that when I was younger she made me take Tai Kwon Do classes, she made me carry an umbrella, knives. When I turned 16, my dad bought me a Taser,” said Pan.
The list of reasons why street harassment happens would be exhaustive to write, and for you to read. But the fact that it happens, I think, is enough to reflect on for now, and how you will challenge it next time it appears in front of your eyes, because it will.
Liz is a recent graduate of Hofstra University with a Bachelor of Arts Journalism degree. She is currently a staff writer for a marketing agency in Boston. Follow her on Twitter @slizmerino and Instagram @elizabethmerino93.
