I’ve been travelling with my boyfriend for an entire summer, and we have traveled together every day. We’ve visited Indonesia, India, Morocco, and France so far. In our travels, I have received absolutely 0 street harassment because I have been accompanied 100% of the time by a man – my partner.
Today was the first day that we ventured out on our own; I walked around the city and visited a few cafes. For the first time in months, I experienced four instances of unwanted street harassment. We’ve been in vastly different parts of the world this summer, and I am horrified to realize that I’ve basically been chaperoned the entire time – temporarily veiling me from the street harassment I’m otherwise accustomed to living in Washington, DC.
I’ve gotten used to the surreal, problematic feeling of having a man ever-present, shielding me from objectification by other men. This summer, I’d forgotten what it feels like to walk around afraid. Why should I need a chaperone to move about the world? When I’m not accompanied by a man, why do I become fair game like a deer strolling through an open meadow? I’m disgusted. I’m even more disgusted that when I turned to my boyfriend for support once we got back to our apartment, almost in tears from rage at these advances, he paid me little attention. He washed his face, got ready for bed nonchalantly, looked at his Instagram.
WHERE ARE OUR ALLIES? WHERE ARE OUR MALE COMRADES? The solution lies with all of us, but most certainly with them. We can’t continue moving through a world where our safe harbor from “bad” men is only promised at a dock tended by “good” men. Ending street harassment is a question of recalling humanity.
We need those in positions of power and privilege (MEN) to act courageously – on a systemic AND a day-to-day basis – to create an environment where women feel safe in every space. This ear th was intended for us all to walk upon with safe passage.
Optional: Do you have any suggestions for dealing with harassers and/or ending street harassment in general?
Call back. Keep calling back. Fight back, short-term and long-term. Carry rocks and knives.
– RLM
Location: Paris, France
Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910
Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for ideas.
