Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

#EndSHWeek Wrap-Up: Day 2

By

There were numerous events today, from Colombia to Canada, from the UK to the USA. See the updated photo album for some of the photos.

Three Cheers!

In great news, today the police released five female Chinese activists who were detained for more than a month in China after trying to start a campaign against sexual harassment on public transportation. Thank you everyone who signed petitions, tweeted, etc!!!! We joined SlutWalk DC in a protest outside the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC last month to call for their release. CONGRATS to Free Chinese Feminists for their tireless work to free these brave women. #ActivismHeroes #FreetheBeijingFive (The downside is they are on bail and will be monitored by police for the next year.)

Action Alert:

Tomorrow marks one year since more than 200 girls were abducted in Nigeria. Sign the petition to #BringBackOurGirls!

Transit Campaigns:

The Vancouver Transit Police and the local Hollaback! chapter distributed cards about harassment at Comm-Broadway (see right, below). #EndSHWeek #SeeSay.

A new anti-harassment transit campaign launched in #London, sponsored by the British Transit Police, Mayor of London’s office, and the London Transit Police along with advocacy groups like The Everyday Sexism Project, Hollaback London and End Violence Against Women Coalition. Check it out: http://report-it.tumblr.com/

   

Virtual Events:

* There were two tweet chats. One in English (#EndSH) | one in French (#terminusrelou)

* Me=You: Sexual Harassment Awareness held a Google hangout Q&A with SSH board member Erin McKelle

Articles:

* Our board member Patrick McNeil wrote a piece about street harassment for the Huffington Post after one of his friends was harassed on the weekend.

* Britnae Purdy, the online manager for anti-street harassment week wrote a piece for Huffington Post too that ties to Sexual Assault Awareness Month. H/T to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center for facilitating it.

* Read the powerful guest blog posts on our site today, one from a woman in Afghanistan about her invisible wounds and a poem by Me=You: Sexual Harassment Awareness.

Share

Breaking News: Five Chinese Women Free!!

By

Hong Kong protest in April 2015

“Police officers on Monday evening released five female activists who were detained early last month in China after trying to start a campaign against sexual harassment on public transportation, two lawyers representing the women said.”

YES!! Thank you everyone who signed petitions, tweeted, etc!!!! We joined SlutWalk DC in a protest outside the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC last month to call for their release. It is ridiculous that they were detained at all.

CONGRATS to Free Chinese Feminists for their tireless work to free these brave women. #ActivismHeroes #FreetheBeijingFive

 

Share

#EndSHWeek Wrap-Up: Day 1

By

NYC rally

Hello! Thank you so much everyone who has participated so far in International Anti-Street Harassment Week!! This is our biggest week to date with groups in 36 countries confirmed to take action. The end of the day has been very exciting as I just got word that Fiona Patten, a member of Parliament in Victoria, Australia, will be raising the issue of street harassment in Parliament this week!!

So what happened on the first official day of the week of awareness? Here’s a recap of some highlights.

What Happened Today?

View more than 70 Photos!

* From Colombia to Nepal to the USA (including Baltimore, Des Moines, Miami, New Orleans, and Philadelphia), groups took to the streets today to raise awareness with sidewalk chalk and signs.

* Groups in Pakistan and Cameroon held community discussions.

* Hollaback! Vancouver debuted their interactive campaign and art show “What’s Your Number?”

Nepal

* Yesterday, a few groups got a jump start to the week, including the #ThisDoesntMeanYes street photo shoot in London, a rally with 200 people in New York City, and a street harassment resource fair at the University of Scranton, in PA, USA.

Two Virtual Events:

* Safe City in India hosted the first tweet chat of the week! Read a recap.

* The NOW Young Feminists & Allies virtual chapter hosted a google hangout about street harassment and multiculturalism. Watch it.


Two Articles:

* An op-ed about street harassment in the Pakistan Today newspaper.

* “This is what street harassment looks like in 16 languages” by Kristin Taylor (“What started out as a small project blossomed, as more and more women began to share their experiences with me. The ink of their markers bled into the fabric, permanently inscribing on my shirt thirty-eight stories of street harassment written in sixteen languages: Afrikaans, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Danish, English, French, Hindi, Jamaican Patoi, Lebanese, Italian, Moroccan, Nepali, Serbian, Spanish, and Tagalog.”)

Share

It’s International Anti-Street Harassment Week 2015!

By

From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, street harassment is a global problem, but it is one that we will NO LONGER TOLERATE. Groups and people in 35 countries are banding together to speak out against sexual violence, sexism, and homophobia in public spaces during International Anti-Street Harassment Week!! Thank you to everyone who is part of it.

The Impact Will be HUGE
There are so many events happening, from a discussion with youth in Beau (Cameroon) to a new transit campaign in London (UK), from marches in the streets of Bogota (Colombia) and Kathmandu (Nepal). Sidewalk chalking, distributing information, and online discussions will take place in countries across six continents. We know the participants will make a difference.

The week is already having an impact; there have been 10 media hits so far, bringing more attention to the topic.

Get Involved
It’s not too late to get involved! Including by joining the Global Night of Action, April 17. Stop Telling Women to Smile (STWTS), an internationally-recognized art project that confronts gender-based street harassment, is organizing an international wheat pasting night on April 17. Those interested in participating can visit the website to request downloadable PDF’s (in their preferred language) of STWTS posters.

Join the Google Hangout taking place today at 7 p.m. EDT. Join our Tweet Chats and Tweetathon, every day from April 12 – 17.

Check out the shareable digital images and downloadable PDF flyers on the website!

Share your stories. In person. Online.

Share

New Global Actions

By

While not officially part of International Anti-Street Harassment Week (April 12 – 18), these two new calls to action are related, relevant, and important. Take part if you can!

On April 12, take action at a local Chinese Embassy to demand the release of five Chinese feminist activists who were detained in early March for planning to distribute information about sexual harassment on the transit system. #FreetheBeijingFive

“Please take action at any hour before 12:00 am April 13th, Beijing time.

Location: Your nearest Chinese Embassy or Consulate
Slogan:
1. Release Chinese Feminists Now!
2. Anti-Sexual Harassment is Not a Crime!
3. Stop Violence Against Feminists!

Suggested Format:
1. Wear a masks with the faces of the five feminists to signal that you are in solidarity with them.
2. Wear wedding dresses with red paint/ink to replicate their previous action, “Bloody Brides”
3. Chant the words Shi-Fang (meaning release in Chinese pinyin) Wu Rongrong, Shi-Fang Wei Tingting, Shi-Fang Wang Man, Shi-Fang Zheng Churan, Shi-Fang Li Tingting.

Please post the protest images and short reports on FreeChineseFeminists Facebook. Or email 45women@gmail.com

If you need pictures of masks or have other questions, please email 45women@gmail.com.

45Women, a group of concerned feminists.”

On April 14, take action to demand the return of the 230 Nigerian school girls who are still missing a year after they were kidnapped from their school. #BringBackOurGirls

Share