This was one of the scariest street harassment experience that I’ve ever dealt with — I was in high school at the time. I was running late for school one morning and had to walk a few blocks to school from the metro bus stop. Well as I was walking, a car slowed up beside me. There were about 5 young guys in the car. They kept yelling out trying to get my attention. I told them I had a boyfriend. They didn’t care. I tried ignoring them, hoping they would just leave. The harassment continued for about a block. I wanted to just hurry up and get inside the school.
Suddenly I heard the car stop. And the door opened. I saw one of the guys step out angrily. I started walking faster and he caught up with me and grabbed my arm really hard and forced me to turn around. I was terrified. I didn’t know what he was going to do to me. He said something like, “You ain’t going to just keep walking away like you don’t hear us.”
I told him I had to get to school and pulled away from him and ran the rest of the way to school. I never looked back. I felt so helpless. I’m a pretty vocal and tough girl, but I felt like I had no voice. Like I had to tell him what he wanted to hear as to not provoke him to hurt me. I wanted to say, “Get the hell away from me and get your filthy hands off of me!!! I don’t want to talk to you!”
But instead I had to tell them that I was someone’s girlfriend in hopes that they would at least respect him because it was obvious that they didn’t respect me.
Optional: What’s one way you think we can make public places safer for everyone?
I think more women should report these crimes and if possible record the harassers. The police should take it serious too. We are taught to feel that this is a normal part of being a woman. And this is not normal at all. We are victimized for going about our daily life activities.
– RJ
Location: 4TH Street, SE, Washington, DC. In front of Ballou High School
Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for more idea.
