Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

Archives for December 2015

“I felt utterly degraded and helpless”

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I was on my way to school, and some guys rolled down their window and shouted something out to me. They hooted as well, and then sped away. Bear in mind, I am a 14-year-old girl, who was in school uniform. I felt utterly degraded and helpless, and it made me feel like I was somehow to blame as there was nothing I could do.

– Anonymous

Location: On the street, outside my local train station.

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for more idea.

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“They humiliated me just because of my appearance”

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There’s a wholesale store of electric goods near my apartment. I pass by the store everyday on my way to school. There’s no any other option from my apartment to a subway station. Over the past few months, some workers from the store have been harassing me (and one of my female roommate) saying things such as “Hi beautiful/ hey you look gorgeous today.”

Usually, I ignore men like them who try to talk with me as then the men give up. However, the workers from the store are so determined. They have escalated the harassment to saying things such as “Look at her ass or f**king Chinese don’t speak English.”

Even though I wasn’t raped, I felt that way and was so mad cause they humiliated me just because of my appearance.

Optional: What’s one way you think we can make public places safer for everyone?

I think the law about street harassment should be defined more and more strict against the people who harass. I tried to find a law to punish them but there’s no such a thing yet.

– NMH

Location: New York City, NY

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for more idea.

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Join our First 2016 Blog Correspondents Cohort

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458_Volunteer_become1Do you feel passionately about ending street harassment and do you like to write? We need YOU!

Stop Street Harassment is one of the top street harassment websites in the world and we’re recruiting new members for our first Blog Correspondents Program cohort of 2015. This is an unpaid, volunteer opportunity. Build your resume and add your voice to the global conversation about this important topic!

Your words will be read: the SSH blog receives up to 30,000 unique readers per month.

Assignment:

From January to April 2016, correspondents in our first cohort of 2016 must commit to writing one blog post per month about street harassment issues in their community, region or country, for four posts total. The topics could include incidents of street harassment covered in the news, activism to stop it, interviews with street harassment activists, and street harassment in popular culture, traditions or the news. You can also write pieces that tie street harassment to relevant related issues (such as racial profiling/racism, online harassment, and campus rape).

We aim to have geographic diversity among our cohort members. People of all genders, ages, regions are welcome to apply.

Applying:

If you would like to join our final Blog Correspondents cohort of the year, please complete this short application form by January 6 and the selected cohort will be announced on January 11.

Note: If you prefer to write in a language other than English, please also indicate what language is most comfortable for you and you can send your writing sample in that language.

Please apply and/or share with others who may be a good fit!

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Thank You SSH Board Members

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Maureen Evans Arthurs speaking on a panel in Maryland, March 2015
Maureen Evans Arthurs speaking on a panel in Maryland, March 2015

Our board members span the USA and regularly take action to address street harassment locally and globally.

Here are 10 examples of what they did this year!

  1. Donate to help fund our programs.
  2. Review our Safe Public Spaces Mentoring (SPSM) applications.
  3. Advertise our SPSM program and Blog Correspondents program.
  4. Giving input on the SSH website redesign.
  5. Writing articles for outlets like Huffington Post.
  6. Co-host and participate in Twitter chats.
  7. Represent SSH at events, conferences, rallies and speakouts (this year, that included community and campus events in AZ, DC, IA, MD, MN, NE, NY, PA, and VA. I also spoke in Canada, India, and Turkey).
  8. Participate in International Anti-Street Harassment Week (including by organizing events, speaking at events, hosting sidewalk chalking, distributing information at Metro stations, and hosting online events).
  9. Attending meetings.
  10. Testifying at the DC city council hearing
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“I ran and I ran and then started crying”

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On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I go to the gym at about 6 p.m. To get there I walk five blocks, five quite deserted blocks. Since I got robbed very near that street, I don’t like walking there too much because there’s almost no people.

Anyway, I was heading to the gym today at 9:30 a.m. when a guy started to slowly cross the street (heading my way) (I didn’t even realise) only to come close to me and literally whisper “suck my dick for a bit mami”.

In the moment there was NO ONE else around so I started running because it was my first impulse. I immediately thought the guy was running behind me but luckily he wasn’t. I ran and I ran and then started crying because I hate men like that.

It made me feel like I was worth nothing. It made me feel tiny and weak. I felt like he could grab me and do whatever to me right there and I’d be helpless. I was carrying my pepper spray in my hand but didn’t even think about using it at the moment.

Did I do the right thing by running? Do you think I’ll meet that guy again?? There’s always a police officer right next to my house but no police officers in those five blocks. Should I advice that police to place more officers in those blocks?

– Paloma

Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for more idea.

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