Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

Less access to public spaces for women in Afghanistan?

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“A resolution passed by the Ulema Council of Afghanistan prohibits women from traveling without a male family member and studying, working, or communicating with strange men in the society, and it allows only men to seek divorce. The Presidential Palace, Arg, welcomed this resolution. Has Afghanistan failed its 50%?….As for as it remains a resolution it will have no binding affect. If the Ulema Council give a Fatwa then it will be binding and will have to be enforced.”

This was the Facebook status update of Noorjahan Akbar, co-founder of Young Women for Change, yesterday.

It is upsetting to see women’s rights under this kind of attack in Afghanistan. If the Ulema Council does give a Fatwa, one of the many, many negative outcomes will be an even greater restriction of access to public places for women and likely more harassment and assault should they dare go outside without a male family member.

Afghanistan is the most dangerous place for women to live in the world (Iceland the best place and Yemen the worst place) and it’s initiatives like this that make it so. A society with few rights for women and where women’s free agency is not respected fosters violence. And that is not good for women or for men.

Young Women for Change is currently fundraising to raise enough money to build and run a women-only, safe and secure Internet Cafe and meeting place. As more and more public places become restricted to women and harassment increases, this space is vital because it will allow women to connect with each other and the outside world. Donate today.

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“It’s beyond time to take a stand…don’t let these harassers intimidate you.”

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“It’s beyond time to take a stand…don’t let these harassers intimidate you.” – Dienna Howard on why she’s involved in Meet Us On The Street: International Anti-Street Harassment Week.

What are you doing for the week of action, March 18-24?

Dienna is based in the Washington, DC area and she will join me and three other women in a discussion about street harassment internationally and locally. Dienna will share her advice on dealing w/harassers in Washington, DC on March 19 (and it may be live streaming so anyone w/internet access can view!). Details & RSVP form.


Also in Washington, DC, is Patrick McNeil is speaking at an event at George Washington University on March 21, 5 p.m. He is writing his master’s thesis on the street harassment of gay and bisexual men and will share his preliminary findings. RSVP to attend.

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Submit your street harassment art for exhibit

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Stop street harassment by…                   My street harassment story is…                   A safe community would look like…

Use words, images, photographs to complete one of those sentences and submit it for inclusion in an art exhibit!!

The art exhibit will be at MOCA DC in Washington, DC, on Sunday, March 18, 3 – 9 p.m. as part of International Anti-Street Harassment Week. But you don’t have to be in DC or even in the USA to submit something. The main organizer is the Deaf Abused Women’s Network and they will accept submissions from anywhere, you just need to either mail or scan/email it in by March 16.

Here is information about submission process. You can also submit art work on a separate 11 x 14 piece of paper, just email a scanned file to earl@deafdawn.org.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Interview: Alan Kearl’s efforts to stop street harassment

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Alan Kearl with his wife Beckie Weinheimer (center) and daughters Mary Kearl (left) and Holly Kearl (right)

Fathers can be natural allies in ending street harassment. I’m lucky to have a wonderful father who is one, and he’s organizing action in New York City for International Anti-Street Harassment Week.

He agreed to do a quick interview about why he’s involved and what’s going on in NYC. We hope this will inspire other men, especially fathers, to become involved, too!

1. Stop Street Harassment (SSH): Why are you involved with International Anti-Street Harassment Week?

Alan Kearl (AK): I was involved in last year’s activities in New York City and when I learned that in one of the largest cities of the world and found that there were just a few efforts in such a big city, I decided that this year, I could help encourage, organize and facilitate a lot more activity.  New York City, a leader in so many facets of culture and life in the world, should be among the forefront of educating, speaking out and inspiring change that improves life for women and makes daily life safer for women.

2. SSH: What are you doing this year?

AK: Here in New York City, there are about 13 groups of activists who are working together to coordinate activities during International Anti-Street Harassment Week.  We are trying to have activities that engage, men and women of all ages and demographics in all five of the boroughs of New York. Confirmed events include a self-defense class for middle schoolers, a fabulous performance art event that will engage attendees in understanding the street harassment, educational workshops held in public school classrooms, a viral video of men talking to men about the consequences of street harassment, a brilliant new program that will offer bystanders a way to help victims and others.  Our efforts will culminate with a rally on Saturday, March 24th at which we’ll have several passionate, articulate speakers.

3. SSH: Why does speaking out on this issue matter to you?

AK: Why I’m speaking out on this issue — I have an amazing daughter who has exposed me to the fact that virtually every female, more than half of the world, is subject to harassment for no other reason than that they are female.  I have learned from her that this harassment causes all sorts of problems from obvious things like hurt, anxiety, fear, anger, and humiliation; to worse things like bodily and emotional injury; to changing habits, limiting activity and even moving and changing jobs.  This is a huge toll on more than half of the people in the world and it is sobering to think that this is caused by the other half of the world’s populations, males and to think that I’m a male.  I have come to know that I need to do something to make up for, curtail and hopefully stop the horrific acts intended or not, of the males of this world. I want the world to be a safe place for all females.

Update: Here is a video of both my parents talking about why they’re involved in International Anti-Street Harassment Week.


Alan Kearl is the proud father of three daughters and has been happily married to his sweetheart for the past 32 years. He lives in New York City and is the Chief Operating Officer of a cosmetics manufacturing company. Much of his adult life has been spent surrounded by women and involved in women’s issues.  He operates by the maxim that making the world a better place starts by being aware of, interested in and respectful of the very next person he encounters.

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Myanmar’s “Whistle for Help” Campaign

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Volunteers distribute whistles and pamphlets near Sule Pagoda on February 21. Pic: Seng Mai

Women in Myanmar launched a creative campaign to fight the problem of sexual harassment on their transit system.

Their campaign is called “whistle for help” and “about 150 volunteers have been distributing whistles and pamphlets to women at eight busy bus stops in Yangon each Tuesday morning in February. The group plans to continue the weekly program for another nine months.”

Via The Myanmar Times:

“The pamphlet instructs women to blow the whistle when they experience sexual harassment on the bus.

“Please go and help the women who blow whistle and let’s stop this unacceptable behaviour,” the pamphlet said. “The campaign and advocacy is not directed against all men but only those who commit these acts.”

The group has also requested support for its campaign from the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission.

Daw Htar Htar, a member of the campaign committee, told The Myanmar Times that women regularly experienced sexual harassment on the city’s bus network but they were usually too afraid or shy to report it.

“Our country is famous for Theravada Buddhism and its related culture and customs but this behaviour brings shame on all of us. We should not accept it anymore and have to stop it from now on,” she said.

“Our body is not their sex object. Why should we keep silent with our head down? It is time to go against it. We can’t work alone but need all helping hands to go against it so that we can create a beautiful, safe and secure environment.”

“Over the past 30 years I myself faced this awful event sometimes and I always thought it was my fault, and kept silent even though I hated it so much. I am now over 40 so … I don’t have to worry as much about this problem but I am worried for my daughter, nieces and younger sisters. What if they meet these kind of detestable men?”

The whistle campaign is so popular, riders regularly ask for extra whistles to pass out to their friends and family and some have requested the organizers expand their campaign to other regions.

The bus drivers are supportive too: “U Tun Aung, a driver one the No 51 line, said sexual harassment had been tolerated on buses for too long and he praised the “whistle for help” organisers for devising an effective, non-violent campaign to stop it.”

Also, on Feb. 14, the Parami bus line and its Adipati subsidiary began offering women-only services during the morning and evening rush hours, when buses are crowded and women more likely to experience sexual harassment. They haven’t said if that would be a permanent measure or not.

I really like the whistle campaign and its community grassroots activism feel. It encourages bystanders to get involved and help out when they hear a whistle so the harassed person does not have to deal with it all on their own. Plus, it’s a simple idea and whistles are cheap and easy to use!

Do you think a similar campaign could work in other cities/countries?

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