My name is Heather, and I am a 21 year old female from Florida. I have experienced street harassment everyday since I was a young teenager. I moved to Miami Beach when I was 18, and immediately noticed an increase in the amount of harassment I received.
I remember a terrifying experience I had right after I moved. It was probably around 9 or 10 p.m. at night, and I had had an argument with my boyfriend. I stepped out of the apartment to take a walk around the block. A man pulled up along side me, and asked why I looked sad. I told him no reason and hoped he would leave. He continued to drive next to me, and told me that if I wanted, he could buy me some alcohol, and we could hang out. I declined and turned the corner. The man continued to follow me, and at this point I started to run. The store was in sight, and I knew I needed to get inside. As I got inside the store the man stopped and stared at me through the glass doors. He stayed there for a couple minutes and then drove off. That is when the danger of street harassment became real to me. All I had to protect myself was pepper spray, which would have been useless against a pick up truck.
When I vent my frustrations about constantly being harassed, people usually tell me that I shouldn’t walk alone, and I should try putting more clothes on. I have already changed my routes so I’m always on a busy street. I always look at the ground when people pass me on the sidewalk so they won’t try to talk to me.
I’m tired of being whistled at like a dog, and being called a bitch when I don’t reciprocate. I refuse to change myself, when it is the harassers who need to change. I had given up on my dream that I would one day be respected, until I found this website. I sincerely thank you.
– Heather
Location: Everywhere, particularly Miami, FL
Share your street harassment story for the blog.
