I grew up in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago, where pretty much nothing exciting ever happened, but my family and I felt safe for the most part. However, even at a young age, I was worried about my safety, and the safety of my best friend in our own neighborhood. We lived down the street from each other in a condo complex so we walked to and from the bus stop together when we were in middle school. Our neighborhood was maintained by landscaping companies, and so there would often be older males walking all around the neighborhood mowing lawns, trimming hedges, etc.
I can distinctly remember one day when my friend and I were walking home, not too far from getting to her house, when one of these men and his co-worker started following us in their truck. They had said something to us but we ignored them and kept walking. When we realized they were trailing us in their car, we took off running through the buildings to get away from them. It was so long ago that I don’t remember too many details about that event, however I do remember a look of satisfied enjoyment those men had because they realized how scared and uncomfortable they made us feel.
Optional: What’s one way you think we can make public places safer for everyone?
I don’t think there is a simple way to make public places feel safe for everyone. What needs to happen as quickly as possible is the incorporation of healthy and safe relationships among all human beings throughout all years that students are in school. This needs to become not only education but practice by all people, it needs to become a part of our culture in entire nation and I believe it starts by all adults correcting children and teens whenever they are acting in disrespectful ways towards anyone, not just adults. I work at a high school and the things I hear, coming especially from the male students and said to the girl students quite frankly are appalling and outright degrading. Sometimes so much so that I am dumbfounded and miss my opportunity to speak up, however I am working on becoming more proactive because of how important and impacting it can be.
– Anonymous
Location: Prospect Heights, IL
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.
