Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

We Support Racial Justice

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Update: One of our donors asked for her donation back after seeing me post similar messaging on Facebook. I am sending her a check for her $60 tomorrow. I stand by what I said.

Update 2: Thank you to SSH supporters Candace, Josef, and Allison for donating to SSH to make up for it. So kind.

For others who want to donate, I’d suggest making donations to groups that are working more directly on racial justice, such as Southern Poverty Law Center, NAACP, Girls for Gender Equity, etc.

I am heartbroken that there was no ‪#‎JusticeforTrayvon‬ last night.

Why does this verdict and what it says about race in the USA matter to this community?

Not only because it impacts many of our supporters and their loved ones, but also because gender-based street harassment, racial harassment, racial profiling is all inter-related. It all is a way for harassers & murderers & “justice” systems to dictate who “belongs” in public spaces and who matters. But we all belong there. We all matter.

We stand with those who fought for justice for Trayvon Martin and we support and join efforts to achieve racial justice & equality.

L to R: SSH supporter Dienna Howard, Collective Action for Safe Spaces co-founder Chai Shenoy, and SSH founder Holly Kearl at a rally for Trayvon Martin in 2012

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Help stop harassment in Egypt TODAY!

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Today is the last day of HarassMap‘s fundraiser campaign – the funds will allow them to significantly increase their efforts.

“Sexual harassment in Egypt has reached catastrophic levels. In a UN Women 2013 study, 99.3% of Egyptian women surveyed said that they have been sexually harassed in their everyday life. The same study revealed that, in 85% of the cases, none of the bystanders actually intervened to help.

This epidemic has taken an even uglier turn. Sexual violence is now being used as a tool against women participating in political and public life. In just six days of mass protests between June 28 and July 7 2013, over 185 cases of horrific mob sexual assault and rape have been reported in Tahrir Square….

We need your help to fund a nationwide campaign of TV commercials, print ads, radio ads, guerilla marketing, pop culture, and graffiti to combat this epidemic.”

Please donate if you can and help support these heroes.

On a personal note – a year ago today, my dad and I met with the leaders of HarassMap in Egypt. We were so impressed to see how they work TIRELESSLY in often unsafe and chaotic conditions to make public places safer. He and I have both donated to support their campaign.

HarassMap meets on Saturday evenings
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Street Respect: Cheering A Runner On

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Yesterday I ran 6.5 miles and near the end of my run, I felt really tired and light-headed because it was very hot and humid out. Near the start of the last mile of my run, there was a very steep hill and when I got near the hill, I was so tired, I thought about walking it. When I reached the hill, however, I came upon a group of walkers who were impressed that I was running. They cheered me on as I went up the hill and two of them even clapped for me. Despite feeling tired from the weather, they put a smile on my face and I made it up the hill and back home without thinking about stopping again.

After dealing with so much harassment on my runs, it was nice to have people be supportive and cheer for me, especially when I really needed it!

-Holly

Location: Reston, VA

This is part of the series “Street Respect. “Street respect” is the term for respectful, polite, and consensual interactions that happen between strangers in public spaces. It’s the opposite of “street harassment.” Share your street respect story and show the kind of interactions you’d like to have in public in place of street harassment.

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Libya Campaign Against Street Harassment

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Via The Libya Herald

“A Libyan women’s rights organisation is mounting a powerful media campaign against domestic violence, street harassment and public denigration of women.

The Noor  (“Light”) campaign is setting up billboards on streets in some 20 cities across Libya to raise awareness about street harassment. TV and radio adverts are also used as part of the efforts.

“We hope that this campaign will help change the current situation,” project manager, Nadia El-Fallah told the Libya Herald. “We want to give confidence to all women with vision to play a part in the building of the new Libya,” she added.

The Voice of Libyan Women (VLW) launched its Noor initiative following research on women’s perceptions about security conducted in eight different Libyan cities. Around 150 women shared their opinions on security concerns and the impact of security on women’s participation in public life.”

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Video: Epidemic of Sexual Violence in Egypt

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Trigger Warning –

Via Heya:

“A total of 186 mob sexual harassment/assault cases have been documented by Op Anti-Sexual Harassment/Assault قوة ضد التحرش/الإعتداء الجنسي الجماعي and Nazra for Feminist Studies starting June 28 till July 7, including at least 3 rape cases. The rampant sexual attacks during the Tahrir Square protests highlight the failure of the government and all political parties to face up to the violence that women in Egypt experience on a daily basis in public spaces.

Very compelling Human Rights Watch video shot by Matt Ford and Tara Todras-Whitehill.”

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