This is Part 2. See Part 1.
EXAMPLES OF NEW CAMPAIGNS AND ACTIONS
Chile: The very active group Observatorio Contra el Acoso Callejero Chile (OCACC) launched.
Egypt: More women in Egypt began learning martial arts to combat street harassment. Also, “protesters took to the streets of Cairo to call for more protections against sexual harassment…The marchers’ demands included stricter punishment for sexual offenders, and an end to sexual violence as well as discrimination against women…The protest was sparked by the uploading of a video on YouTube which showed a mob of men surrounding a 19-year-old woman and gang raping her in Tahir Square where crowds had gathered to celebrate the election of the President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The protest movement is being spearheaded by Deena al-Shabba a student who set up the “Walk like an Egyptian Woman” campaign in response to the video.”
France: Osez le Féminisme (Dare Feminism) launched a campaign in the fall in support of women’s right to be un-harassed on public transportation in Paris.
India: Breakthrough launched a Board the Bus campaign for International Women’s Day to let women know that they have the right to occupy public places. They encouraged more women to ride buses in the hopes that having more women in public places can help reduce harassment
Iran: After at least 8 women were attacked by men throwing acid at them in Isfahan, Iran, in the fall, more than 2000 Iranians in the city protested, “denouncing Islamic extremism and calling on the authorities to end the attacks.”
Kenya: In November, after men harassed and stripped a woman naked who was walking down the street in a miniskirt in Nairobi, Kenya, women took to the streets in protest in November.
USA: Kara Crutcher founded the Courage Campaign: CTA in Chicago and their actions have included co-hosting a community discussion with A Long Walk Home and organizing a flash mob on the subway.
USA: UN Women’s Global Safe Cities Initiative expanded to the USA in November!
USA: SSH board member Lindsey launched the campaign Cards Against Harassment. Then she began recording herself confronting harassers.
USA: Ray and Adele, the co-directors of hu_MAN Up, in Lancaster, PA, fundraised and launched three electronic billboard messages near the Franklin & Marshall College campus including one about street harassment.
USA & UK: Hollaback! Bmore launched a Safer Spaces Campaign and Hollback! London expanded their Good Night Out Campaign.
USA: Feminist Public Works/Geeks for CONsent submitted a petition to Comic-Con International with 2,500 signatures calling on organizers to post signs in the convention halls detailing its anti-harassment policies. It also wants convention volunteers trained on how to respond to harassment incidents. Thanks to their efforts, Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle and Rose City Comic Con in Portland posted clear and beautiful signage throughout the convention center reminding attendees that “Costumes are not consent.”
Geeks for Consent handed out anti-sexual harassment information to attendees at several Comic Cons They also developed an anti-harassment training manual for convention use at Awesome Con which hosted shows in three major U.S. cities. Related, NYCC unveiled a new anti-harassment policy, created by geek girl blog The Mary Sue and a panel of geeky advocates.
USA: Collective Action for Safe Spaces launched RightRides DC on Halloween night.
USA: There were street harassment-related petitions against Snickers and Banjo Billy’s Bus Tours and open letters to Sam Pepper, a YouTuber whose videos of street harassment and assault have been viewed millions of times.
NEW SONGS, POEMS, FILMS, AND DOCUMENTARIES:
International:
“Young Afghan women Sadaf, Sahar and Nargis documented their life over a two year period – this 25 minute film sees them eating ice cream at a mall, fleeing from an attack, and getting some serious sexual harassment from groups of men. It’s compulsive viewing, trust us.”
In Chile, entertainment YouTube channel Woki Toki released a “social experiment” it called “La revancha de los agarrones” (Revenge of the touchers) [4.9 million views]
A woman in Egypt recorded harassers in Cairo with a hidden camera.
In the 10 minute French film Oppressed Majority (Majorité Opprimée) by Eléonore Pourriat gender roles are reversed. Women belittle, harass, assault and disbelieve the main character Pierre, in essence showing what everyday life IS actually like for women worldwide. [11.2 million views]
Natalia Málaga, a former volleyball player who now coaches the Peruvian national women’s team, is the face of the “Sílbale a tu madre” (Catcall your mother) campaign against street harassment, sponsored by the organization Paremos el acoso callejero (Let’s stop street harassment) and fitness and sporting goods company Everlast. [4.3 million views]
This short film about street harassment in Yemen received a UN award.
USA:
Transgender actress Laverne Cox gave a powerful speech about her experiences with street harassment, cissexism, sexism and racism as a trans woman of color.”
“Who has the right to self-defense? How do race, class, sexuality, and gender expression affect what our society sees as violent? In 75 minutes, new documentary Out in the Night challenges us to consider these questions. The film follows the case of Venice Brown, Terrain Dandridge, Renata Hill and Patreese Johnson, four women who became known as the New Jersey Four after they defended themselves against an assault on the streets of New York City’s West Village.”
Rob Bliss Creative, “10 Hours of Walking in NYC as a Woman” (the video inspired many copy-cat videos) [38.5 million views]
“Girl in a Country Song” became the #1 country song in the USA and in it, the teenage singers Maddie Marlow and Tae Dye call out harassers and men who disrespect women! [15.4 million views]
Vocativ, “Street Harassment: Sidewalk Sleazebags and Mero Molesters” [3.7 million views]
BuzzFeed, “What Men Are Really Saying When Catcalling Women” [1.5 million views]
Musician Damian Washington wrote a great song about street harassment, S T F U! (Anti-catcalling Anthem).
The film “I’m Not Your Girl” was made as part of the Girl Tech program in New Mexico. It was recently screened at the Media Literacy Project’s 20th anniversary party in Albuquerque.
In this rap about street harassment by Miss Eaves, Brooklyn ladies turn the tables and harass P. Kilmure, the music video producer.
Venessa Marco, a slam poet, wrote and performed the poem “Patriarchy” (it addresses street harassment) at the 2014 Women of the World Poetry Slam.
Calayah Heron, a participant of the New York City GirlsWriteNow wrote and performed a powerful poem about street harassment called “Cornerstorecandy.”
The Kats Meoww, “Street Harassment is an LGBTQ Issue”
George Washington University students Samantha LaFrance and Sarah Blugis created a documentary about street harassment for a class project this semester.
Dienna Howard made a documentary about street harassment in Washington, DC. She wrote about it on her blog.
Kara Lieff, a recent graduate of Temple University, produced a documentary about street harassment activism in Philadelphia, “Streets To Call Our Own.”
“If Catcalls were Compliments”
DISAPPOINTING NEWS:
And lest it seem like everything was positive, here are a few examples of disappointing and disturbing things that happened.
India: “A community panchayat has banned girls from wearing jeans and keeping mobile phones claiming that they were having a “bad” effect on them and were responsible for eve-teasing [street harassment] incidents.”
Saudi Arabia: “A Saudi survey has revealed that around 80 percent of people blame the rising incidents of sexual harassment in the country on the “deliberate flirtatious behaviour” of women.” Also, “A new law in Saudi Arabia banning ‘tempting eyes’ … states that women with alluring eyes will be forced to wear a full veil… Sheikh Motlab al Nabet, spokesman of the Saudi Arabian Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, said they ‘had the right’ to force women to cover their face.
Turkey: “One of the most senior members of the Turkish government sparked an outcry on Tuesday, after declaring that women should not laugh loudly in public. The deputy prime minister, Bülent Arinc, one of the co-founders of the ruling Islamic-rooted Justice and Development party (AKP), made the comment while lamenting the moral decline of modern society. His comments provoked a storm on social media [and women posted photos of themselves laughing in public spaces].”
USA: The NY Post and Fox News both said nothing is wrong with street harassment.
But overall, it was a year of tremendous attention and action around street harassment. Let’s keep the momentum going into 2015!
