Day 1: International Anti-Street Harassment Week

It’s here!!

Groups and organizations worldwide take action in their communities year-round to address street harassment, but there is strength in numbers. That’s why Stop Street Harassment creates space for them each spring to join forces and take action in unity, in solidarity, during Meet Us on the Street: International Anti-Street Harassment Week.

It starts TODAY.

From April 10 to 16, groups in more than 30 countries will take part. People will hold rallies and marches, create public art, organize workshops and speak-outs, and share their stories.

Read how groups in six countries will participate and why.

Read a guest blog post about actions in Afghanistan!

Anyone, anywhere can participate in the week, including by sharing your stories and/or images online, writing sidewalk chalk messages, hanging up Stop Telling Women to Smile posters, snapping photos of your dog/s for #HoundsAgainstHarassment and joining the Global Tweetathon on April 12 (use #EndSH in your tweets).

Here are 10 ideas for how an individual, anywhere in the world, can participate.

I invite you to Meet Us on the Street. It is so empowering to join with thousands of people in taking a stand. No action is too small to make a difference.

Watch the street harassment 101 video our board members Erin McKelle and Manuel Abril created.

Here are some of the events that happened today:

Argentina: The Women’s Movement Mumalá (Women of the Latin American Matria) conducted an awareness campaign in the Plaza Mitre about street harassment.

Canada: Women in Cities International, in partnership with Lucie Pagès, and Noémie Bourbonnais, hosted a vox pop on the street. They went into the streets of Montreal and asked people questions regarding street harassment and did sidewalk chalking.

France: STOP Harcèlement de rue coordinated a campaign across France, including sidewalk chalking [April 10, Lyon, Paris , Nantes, Marseille , Montpellier, Toulouse — See specific times and meeting places here.]

Egypt: HarassMap volunteers talked about how to stop sexual harassment in public spaces in Korba and Cairo.

India: Safecity did sidewalk chalking in Mumbai (see photos).

Nepal: Youth Advocacy Nepal had a sign-making party (See photos).

Maryland: FORCE: Upsetting Rape Culture hosted Not Alone Baltimore. The Monument Quilt blanketed two blocks of North Avenue between Howard and Charles Street with 1500 stories from survivors of sexual and domestic violence and messages of support from their communities. The day-long event included readings, discussions, workshops and performances. [April 10, 12 -5 p.m.]

South Carolina: In Columbia, Alright, Rebel and local activists distributed flyers and post signs during the monthly Second Sunday events around Marion Square and King Street [April 10]

Washington, DC: Collective Action for Safe Spaces (CASS) hosted chalking to reclaim the streets. [April 10, 1:30-3:30 p.m., pick one of three locations: 1) 14th & U St NW; 2) Anacostia Metro Stop in SE; 3) H & 8th St NE]