Stop Street Harassment (SSH) and Defend Yourself are partnering with the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) to launch a gender-based street harassment national hotline in July 2016.
RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline, which provides confidential support those impacted by sexual violence in both Spanish and English. The hotline is available via online chat and by phone 24/7. SSH and Defend Yourself will train RAINN staff who will be answering the National Street Harassment Hotline, to be equipped to help those calling about street harassment.
“We are thrilled about this new partnership and the ability to provide a safe space for those impacted by street harassment to receive help and appropriate resources,” said RAINN’s vice president for victim services, Jennifer Marsh.
Gender-based street harassment affects at least 65% of women and 25% of men in the USA, and it starts at a young age. It can range from catcalls and unwanted sexualized and homophobic comments to illegal acts like following, flashing, groping and sexual assault.
A growing body of research shows that street harassment negatively impacts women emotionally. It can be traumatic for them, especially for survivors of sexual abuse. “Mild” street harassment can escalate into physical harassment without warning and many women and some men have an underlying fear that verbal harassment will become physical. In January 2016, there were two cases – in Texas and Pennsylvania – of street harassment escalating into murder. In late March 2016, a mother in California was shot in the stomach by street harassers whom she confronted for harassing her teenage daughter.
“Street harassment is probably the No. 1 problem that brings women and teen girls to our classes,” says Lauren R. Taylor, director of Defend Yourself. “They desperately need alternatives to ignoring it. With this hotline, we can empower people by sharing skills – and increasing options – for dealing with harassment in public spaces.”
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We have the funds to set up the hotline, but the more money we raise, the more callers we can fund per month to sustain the hotline ($11 = 15 minutes of call time, $22 = 30 minutes).
– $275/month funds 5 hours of call time
– $1,100/month funds 25 hours of call time
Help us reach our $6,600 goal so we can fund at the $1,100 rate for the first six months.
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Meet some of the people who will be answering the hotline!
