It was a summer evening in Elmont, New York. It was about 7:30 p.m. and I had gone down the block from my house to grab a few snacks. I was wearing black sneakers, grey leggings and a white t-shirt. After shopping at my local Rite Aid, I was walking home through the parking lot. An older man who was walking near me stopped and began leering at me and saying, “Ohhh, look at all that sweetness.”
I turned around to look at him and I shook my head indicating that it was not appropriate for him to be leering at me. I began walking off. Next thing I know, a car pulls up alongside me, the man was now in the driver’s seat with another man in the passenger seat. He rolls down the window and says…
“Hey don’t be like that, I was complimenting you – I was telling you how sweet all of you is.”
I usually will walk away from this, but today I had had enough. I stopped and said, “Excuse me?”
He then began to repeat himself before I jumped in and begin telling him how inappropriate his words were. I told him that no matter what he said it is not okay for him to make a woman in the street feel incredibly uncomfortable. I told him how disrespected I felt and that he has no right to leer at me in that manner.
“Look at what you’re wearing,” he said. “I can say whatever I want because you’re dressed like that.”
I became furious! I was speechless. I wish I had been able to film what he had said in that moment. I continued ranting about how disgraceful that was until I found myself walking away in a fury. Then another car nearby slowed down and two men shouted, “Baby, what is wrong? Is he trying to get your number?” as they laughed and jeered.
I felt so completely miserable. I was nothing but a source of entertainment, a sexualized object with no value, no voice. It astonishes me that I cannot walk to my local store without being harassed like that.
I experience daily catcalling and harassment, but it has come to a point where this is becoming a real problem and is affecting my anxiety. I cannot continue to feel unsafe in public places.
– KA
Location: Elmont, New York
Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910
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