I was walking through a shopping center parking lot. I wanted to cross to the sidewalk, and a car slowed to let me pass. An elderly man with a guitar case shouted to me, “Come on girl, come on girl!” as if to hurry me along, and he sounded and looked amused. It felt very demeaning, as if he was talking to a dog. I hurried past and kept walking fast, and I crossed another street and took a route through a housing development because I noticed he seemed to be going in the same direction as me. I was not necessarily afraid of being molested, but it did make me nervous. Mostly I felt objectified, and that made me resentful.
By the way, I was wearing ripped-up but not revealing jeans, a loose black T-shirt, my hair was very plain and I had no makeup on.
Optional: What’s one way you think we can make public places safer for everyone?
I don’t have a good solution; but I think the older generation should be taught somehow that talking to random women disrespectfully is not okay. Maybe it was in their younger days, but times have changed.
– Anonymous
Location: Ventura, CA
Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for more idea.
