Julia Tofan, Connecticut, USA, SSH Blog Correspondent
Street harassment is terrifying. It can start with catcalling and stalking, and can quickly escalate to threats and violence if a victim shows anything but submission and compliance. It can be so pervasive in daily life that it’s expected. It’s not a question of whether it will happen, but when and where. It’s an issue people around the world share and fight against. Here’s a list of recent initiatives and how they’re working.
- Social Media: Street harassment campaigns and organizations quickly immerse social media with hashtags and headlines. Social media has the power to educate the masses, show victims of street harassment that they are supported, and change the status quo of accepted societal behavior, like catcalling. One example is Brazil’s Carnival Campaign, advocating for #CarnivalSemAssedio, or #CarnivalWithoutHarassment. Social media doesn’t offer victims legal protection or end street harassment, but it makes a difference.
- Bringing Attention in the Moment: Who would’ve thought punk music and confetti could be used to fight street harassment? That’s exactly what women in Mexico City, one of the most dangerous places in the world for women according to the UN, are doing. The ladies of Las Hijas de Violencia, or Daughters of Violence, shoot confetti and play loud punk after an incident of street harassment. It’s dangerous and can escalate the situation if the street harasser feels attacked or shamed, but the women report that it helps them move on and take control of the situation.
- Scooter Gangs: Women in Cairo are frequently victims of street harassment, but scooters are providing women with a safer means of transportation than public transportation or walking. Girls on Wheels has recruited more than 300 girls, taught many girls how to scooter, and gained the support of girls’ families. It doesn’t get to the root of street harassment and stop perpetrators, but it empowers girls and improves safety, and that’s a step forward.
- Women only Transportation: Public transportation is a common location of street harassment, and it’s also a necessity for getting to and from different places. Women-only transportation implies all men are dangerous, places the onus on women to stay safe, and isn’t perfectly enforced, which allows males to occasionally enter the buses with the intention to harass women. Also, it isn’t always available. However, it can temporarily improve safety conditions for women traveling using public transportation, as Mexico is trying to accomplish with a new program.
- Apps: Street harassment is vastly under reported. Whether it’s fear, lack of support and trust, or shame, victims oftentimes don’t report street harassment incidents. Apps like Ec Shlire, an app designed by a Kosovo woman, are fighting that by giving women a community specifically for reporting street harassment and putting the incident on the map. It’s bringing the attention to light and giving victims a sense of solidarity, but it doesn’t report incidents to the police and enable police involvement.
People have had controversial reactions to the various programs and campaigns fighting street harassment. Every program and campaign has drawbacks, but something is being done, and along with the drawbacks, there are benefits. Whether programs and campaigns blame victims, solve the root of the problem, take street harassment seriously, and keep women safe are important questions to keep on asking, but recognizing the positive impact different projects are showing is also vital.
Julia is a student in a rural town in Connecticut. She writes for Givology, a nonprofit dedicated to improving access to education, and Dreams That Could Be, an organization telling the stories of students facing great challenges but persevering in their education. Read her blog posts on Givology and Dreams That Could Be and follow her on Twitter @Julia_Tofan!
