Dear Friends,
Even though many of us are minimally in public spaces right now, it doesn’t mean street harassment isn’t happening. In addition to a rise in anti-Asian, xenophobic harassment in parts of the world, when gender-based street harassment occurs right now, it can feel even scarier.
This Washington, DC, woman articulates it well in the personal story she told about a man following her down an empty street, “As a woman who has lived in big cities for most of my life, I’m used to street harassment. Street harassment during this pandemic is a whole ‘nother thing — there’s the extra fear of someone getting close to you, more fear when there aren’t witnesses, more fear when you can’t rush into an open store for help because most of the stores are closed.”
Activists in places like the UK, France and Argentina are suddenly getting an uptick in these kinds of stories too and are collecting more for our 10th International Anti-Street Harassment Week, April 19-25.
We, too, are collecting stories to share on our blog next week to raise awareness that even during a pandemic, street harassment occurs! Share yours here.
Planned Actions!
Share your planned actions here!
Here are some preliminary actions shared with us.
For instance, Paremos el Acoso Callejero and PLAN Peru will hold a virtual forum “Sexual Harassment: Neither Street nor Virtual” (in Spanish) on 18 April, 10 am. to 1 p.m. UTC. More Info.
Participate!
Participation in the Week is, as always, open to your ideas. Here are four virtual options to do, starting in just TWO DAYS, on Sunday:
- Go online to share your stories and information about street harassment using the hashtag #StopStreetHarassment across the week! Join the Sayfty tweet chat on April 20 at 11:30 a.m. EST / 3:30 pm UTC. #Sayftychat
- Create a short video completing the phrase, ““If street harassment didn’t exist, I would….” and post it online, tagging @StopStHarassmnt and @CatCallsofNYC. Let us know what a world without street harassment would look like to you.
- Use chalk outside your home or pen/paper to write anti-harassment messages / pro-respect messages, take photos of the messages and share the photos online, tagging @StopStHarassmnt and/or using #stopstreetharassment.
- Review information about standing up to street harassers, produced by Hollaback! and L’Oreal Paris. There will be a free virtual Zoom training on standing up to harassers offered by them and Sayfty on April 24, 4pm UTC/12pm EST in English. You must pre-register.
You are not alone right now – we are together.
In Solidarity,
Holly Kearl
Stop Street Harassment Founder & CEO
