Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

Archives for April 2020

Cheer Up Luv’s Pandemic SH Story

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This is a post for International Anti-Street Harassment Week and is shared with permission from Cheer Up Luv’s Instagram Account. They are based in the UK.

Is anyone else feeling slightly less safe on the streets lately – or is it just me? Obviously we should all be staying at home and going out as little as possible at the moment. But the few times I have popped to the shops, or been for a walk/run I have felt very vulnerable and visible in what were once extremely busy streets.

We are living in an especially strange time. As well as the rates of domestic violence increasing there has also been a slightly odd feeling on the streets. The fact that the streets are empty is a good thing, don’t get me wrong. But I have been hearing a lot of similar experiences lately of sexual harassment on the new deserted streets.

I was harassed the other day by a passing van, and there was no one around. Maybe the driver felt as though he could get away with it seeing as there was no one in sight? Maybe it was just like any other day and he didn’t think twice about it. Either way it left me thinking about it for a lot longer than I had to, and got me questioning a different kind of safety in this new time we are living through.

This isn’t the first kind account I have heard of this nature. For some, it seems the new restrictions are giving a freedom to harassers to do whatever they please, and not face the repercussions of their actions.

– Eliza Hatch, founder of Cheer Up Luv

Do you have a story about street harassment during the global COVID-19 pandemic? Share it here and we’ll post it for International Anti-Street Harassment Week, April 19-25.
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Two Days Until Anti-Street Harassment Week!

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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:

  1. 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

  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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

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Street Harassment During a Pandemic

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Do you have a story about street harassment during the global COVID-19 pandemic? Share it here and we’ll post it for International Anti-Street Harassment Week, April 19-25.

Today, I went for my afternoon walk in the neighborhood as usual. My eyes for a second met the eyes of a young man wearing headphones who was sitting on the stoop. I immediately thought “I hope he doesn’t think I’m interested because I glanced at him.” He stared at me hard and then jumped up from the stoop and started walking in front of me. I slowed down to put distance between us.

He turned around to face me and started walking towards me. He was acting a little off, moving erratically and pointing at me. I crossed the street instantly, he followed me, this time less than a foot behind my body. & now I was scared. He punched a sign we walked by making a large bang. He was saying something to me, but I couldn’t hear anything, just fear ringing in my ears because the streets were empty and no one was around. I was thinking about running but could I outrun him, was looking for another person walking, or an open store – but only houses.

I finally got to an open corner store a couple blocks from my house and darted inside. He did too. Then I told him to fuck off and stop following me. He slammed the iron gate in a way that shook me. I rushed in — feeling the urgency to be around another person, but the store was empty. I saw the shop owner at the back and rushed towards her, but kept my 6ft. Exchanging a look between women that we all know too well.

She had seen the man follow me in and asked if I was okay. I burst into tears. She asked where I lived, locked up her store and walked me home. I wish I could’ve hugged her in that moment.

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.

But today, all I’m grateful for is Nani, a shop owner in my neighborhood who was ready to protect me and showed me the kindness I needed to rule out the fear. Stay safe, ladies. XO

Location: Washington, DC

– Anonymous

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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Two Weeks Until Anti-Street Harassment Week!

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Dear Friends,
With much of the world confined to their home due to the COVID-19 virus, we are moving most of our activism for our 10th International Anti-Street Harassment Week online. (Though if you can get outside and want to take action there – you are welcome to!)

While there are far fewer people in public places right now, before long, we will be there again and now is the time to advocate for a safer environment for everyone, one where street harassment does not occur in the future. Further, when people are in public spaces now, there is a lot of anti-Asian and xenophobic harassment going on – and that is not okay.

So, between 19 to 25 April, please take some kind of action to promote safe public spaces!

Participate:
Participation in the Week is open to your ideas. Here are four virtual options:

  1. 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 a.m. EST / 3 pm UTC.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.

Let Us Know:
If you are organizing any online or offline actions or events, please complete this form or email StopStreetHarassment@Gmail.com with the information, and we will post it on our Events page. If you are at an organization/group, we also will list you as a Participating Co-Sponsor.

Thank you, and I hope you and your family are safe and healthy right now.

Also, this coming week, Hollaback! is offering three free bystander trainings on how to intervene and stop anti-Asian American harassment which has been escalating during the #COVID19 pandemic. Consider taking it if you’re free!

In Solidarity,
Holly

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