Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

Archives for August 2018

“I am thoroughly disgusted”

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Pretty much every time I try to go for a walk along Lake Shore Blvd in Ontario, some guy in a car honks at me and then doubles back to catch up with me on the next block. It’s always the same, “Hey you wanna ride?”

I ignore them, look forward & walk quickly to get away. Sometimes I have to yell at them to f**k off. It doesn’t matter what time of year or even how many layers I’m wearing or not. The unwanted street harassment in this neighborhood is out of control. I’ve been trying my best for over 15 years of living here to not let it bother me, to just ignore it. But it bothers me.

I am thoroughly disgusted by the aggression of some of these perverts.

One time when a guy pulled up to me saying he wanted to talk to me, I sternly shook my head NO & bolted down a side street. This man must have anticipated my path because by the time I got to the next street, he was parked & actually got out of the car & started walking after me saying he wanted to talk to me. I ran the rest of the way home & hid behind the next complex so he could not see exactly where I lived.

I think it’s time for me to move to a building with security & only drive everywhere from now on. These experiences make me not want to go out alone at all.

Shame on you, classless Lakeshore perverts! May you, in your car, motorcycle, scooter, bike on foot whatever the f**k, keep your eyes on the road & keep your creepy cat calls to yourself.

I have just as much right as anyone else to walk freely in peace by myself if I choose. I speak for all women getting harassed out there because every female I know in this hood reports the same sick behavior being projected onto them by these low life scum bag creeps. It needs to stop now!

Optional: Do you have any suggestions for dealing with harassers and/or ending street harassment in general?

Immediately start walking the opposite way if a car pulls up to you as you are walking. Yell, “Leave me alone,” or something to that extent if they pull up on you again. Cross the street – do whatever it takes to throw them off your path.

– Anonymous

Location: Lakeshore & Islington area South Etobicoke

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.

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He said, “How’s it going sugar?”

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I was walking to class when a man walked out of a Rite Aid with 3 other people.

He said, “How’s it going sugar?”

I made eye contact.

He proceeded with, “An ass like that make a blind man wanna see again.”

I immediately felt as if it were my fault that I was being harassed.

I was wearing jeans a black t-shirt. Nothing about my outfit was revealing. It was terrifying.

We must raise awareness of harassment and how it affects men and women everywhere.

— AJ

Location:

Harrisburg, PA

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.

 

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“I was alone and scared”

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This evening, I was walking from my apartment to retrieve my car that was parked in our ‘first come first served’ lot. It was located behind some residential buildings a couple minutes away.

Just when my car was finally in my sight, I was alarmed to hear the sound of a man wolf-whistling some distance behind me.

I was alone and scared that something bad might happen to me.

I pretended not to hear it and did not look to see the culprit until I was safely in my car.

Now I feel an immense amount of anxiety and shame when coming to and from my car.

We should make forms of street harassment such as catcalling and wolf whistling a punishable crime.

Hold residential buildings accountable for the way their tenants act towards others while on their property, such as parking lots.

— Ashley

Location:

Residential parking lot located on the grounds of a BMHA (Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority) public housing building

 

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.

 

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“It was my job to protect myself from male violence and abuse”

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The scariest thing was…

when I was a child and thought I was a dog…

until everyone pointed out I was a girl..

And then when I thought I was a girl…

until everyone pointed out I was really a woman…

…which meant nothing to me but everything to them…

And suddenly my world was thrown into chaos and I had to play by a different set of rules:

It was my job to protect myself from male violence and abuse and…

If I failed it was my fault. Sometimes I still wish I was a dog.

No one blames a dog.

~ Michelle Ryder

Location:

USA

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.

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“I felt so helpless and ashamed”

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I’m 14 years old.  Today was horrible! I’d just finished shopping and I was walking past a cafe when I noticed a guy was staring at me.

He noticed that I was looking at him and winked. I was disgusted and you could tell, he carried on winking.

I felt like I couldn’t say anything as I was with my family.

The thing is winking may not seem like a big deal but it happens so much to me and in that moment I felt so helpless and ashamed!

I’ve seen it online but it’s an app that connects to the shop or restaurant or whatever. You can then say who you are and why you are feeling uncomfortable. A member of staff will approach you to ask who is harassing you. The person is then kicked out.

Also, we need more education in schools about addressing street harassment.

— S.C.

Location:

London: Westfield

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.

Share