I’m a 17 year-old African-American girl, and I’ve never felt safe when in public on my own. Whether I’m on my way to work or headed downtown to hang out with friends, men feel the need to make remarks on how I look.
And it’s always older men. Men much older than me who make remarks on my appearance and call me beautiful and make me feel uncomfortable and vulnerable.
I used to think that maybe it ways the way I was dressing or how I did my hair that attracted all this unwanted attention. One day during summer, I was on my way to the public library to get some homework done. I stepped out of my house with my hair in a low pony-tail and a casual outfit, (leggings, oversized t-shirt, sneakers). Right away three men across the street had their eyes on me and watched me cross the street. One block away, an older man spotted me and said, ʺHey beautiful, how you doingʺ and on that same block another older man fixing his car looked me up and down and said, ʺHey how’s it going.ʺ As I entered the library another man yelled at me but I walked away quickly.
A few hours later, I started to head home. Crossing the street one man looked at me and told me I was a ʺblessed young ladyʺ and a construction worker got in my way just to say hello.
This is why I feel so unsafe when I go out alone. I always feel like people are watching me and I hate it. I just want to go outside and feel safe for once.
It’s not fair that at such a young age I’m scared to go out and enjoy a nice day because I’m worried about my well-being. But the sad reality is that I’m probably never going to feel safe when I’m out alone.
Optional: What’s one way you think we can make public places safer for everyone?
Security guards? They always make me feel safer
– Anonymous
Location: San Francisco, CA
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See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for more idea
