Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

Fiat Super Bowl Commercial

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Watch this Fiat Super Bowl Commercial.


Oh haha, it’s soo funny (sarcasm): he stared at her, she caught him, she slapped him and teased him. Oh but she was actually a car!

The only thing this commercial accurately captures is a man thinking it’s okay to ogle and leer at a woman he doesn’t know on the street. This – and the related behaviors of sexual comments, groping, and stalking – happens all the time in public places and we are tired of it.

So hey, Fiat: First, women are not objects. Cars are. We are humans. Second, it’s very disappointing to see you create a commercial that promotes the sexual objectification of women and makes light of the ogling street harassers that too many women face in real life without their consent.

All men need to learn to treat women respectfully and like they are humans, not sexual objects. Commercials like yours counteract that and teach them it’s okay to sexually objectify women. And that is NOT OKAY.

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Snapshot of street harassment stories, news, announcements & tweets: February 5, 2012

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Read stories, news articles, blog posts, and tweets about street harassment from the past week.

** Sign up to receive a monthly e-newsletter from Stop Street Harassment ***

Street Harassment Stories:

Share your story! You can read street harassment stories on the Web at:

Stop Street Harassment Blog

HarassMap Egypt

Resist Harassment Lebanon

Many of the Hollaback sites

In the News, on the Blogs:

Deoni Jones was murdered at a bus stop in DC this week. Image via Washington Blade

* Washington Blade, “Police identify trans woman fatally stabbed at D.C. bus stop” and DC Trans Coalition, “Another Violent Attack“

* Guardian, “Benefit cuts are fuelling abuse of disabled people, say charities“

* New York Times, “Shame and Anger in Cairo“

* North Baltimore Patch, “Cat Call to Arms“

* The Saudi Gazette, “A grave punishment befitting an eve teaser“

* Kuwait Times, “Sexual Harassment“

* Deccan Herald, “Public thrash youth for teasing girls“

* The Daily Star, “Support line offers safe outlet to talk about sexual harassment“

* Until I Get Married, “The Other Reason Street Harassment Is Wrong“

* Washington City Paper, “Youth of Today“

* Fueled, “Hey, Baby. There’s an App for that“

* Hollaback, “Interview: Boston-Feminist on “Why I Punched a Stranger”

* BootsnAll, “How to Deal With Street Harassment in Foreign Countries“

Activism Announcements:

New:

* If you live in the Washington, DC-area, you can testify about harassment on the Metro system at a hearing on Feb. 22. Details.

Reminders:

* What were you wearing when you got stared at or street harassed? Submit your photo

* Start planning for International Anti-Street Harassment Week, March 18-24

* Sign the Petition: “Demand Justice for Two Men Killed Trying to Stop Street Harassment“

* Read a Baltimore, Maryland, college student’s thesis on street harassment

* The Adventures of Salwa campaign has a hotline for sexual harassment cases in Lebanon: 76-676862.

* In Bangalore, India, there is a helpline for street harassment 080 – 22943225 / 22864023

10 Tweets from the Week:

1. farida904 Tonight, I had to think twice before going to the kiosk to get gum because of the group of guys standing there. End sexual harassment #EndSH

2. MsNicoleClark Searching for ways to combat #streetharassment is very empowering. I hope the person was able to find what they were searching for.

3. trapunski Just witnessed a taxi driver catcall a woman holding a baby with the line “hey mommy.” One of the skeeziest things I’ve ever seen.

4. chennaiholla Men, what would you advice your female friends to do when they encounter groping in public space, like a mall? #menagainstvaw @meIHM pl RT

5.maps4aid Know Your Rights! #StreetHarassment #India #IPC354 pic.twitter.com/yEuesaoO

6. SeraSarahSera “How would she react to this display of man’s inhumanity, embodied in a catcall toward you, her daughter? Think of that when you walk by.”

7. caulkthewagon GAHHHHH FIVE SECONDS OF STREET HARASSMENT MAKING ME HULK OUT GAHGHHHHHHHGGGGGHHH

8. woodlandtales got touched on the shoulders and back by a very creepy man while walking down the street. Feel so disgusted(ing) #streetharassment

9. LeilaLatex I’m prety sure I am incapable of not shouting death threats at people who whistle at me. #streetharassment

10. lifeofzoo #IDoNotUnderstand why it is so hard to be respectful to women and simply not catcall them on the streets

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DC: Testify about harassment on public transportation!

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This is cross-posted from Collective Action for Safe Spaces blog…I serve on their board and I’m excited to be working on this initiative!

Sexual comments, leering, groping and public masturbation: sexual harassment happens a lot on public transportation in Washington, DC. Collective Action for Safe Spaces/Holla Back DC! has been tracking and speaking out on this issue for three years. Now we’re doing something more – testifying. And we need your help.

We need people to testify with us about the issue of sexual harassment on public transportation during the late afternoon of Wednesday, Feb. 22, for a public performance oversight hearing of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) held by the Council of the District of Columbia.

We are looking for people:

1) Willing to share a story or stories about sexual harassment on metro trains and buses,
2) Who can talk about sexual harassment they’ve witnessed,
3) Who can be part of the audience to help fill the room.

Testimonies are only 3 minutes long (about a page and a half). If you want to learn more about writing and presenting compelling testimony or want feedback on a draft, we will hold an optional training on Saturday, Feb. 18, 1-3 p.m. at the Southeast Library (across the from Eastern Market metro station). Susie Cambria will lead the training.

If you’re interested in providing testimony or helping to fill the room, please contact info@collectiveactiondc.org by February 17.

If we have enough people testifying, possible outcomes could be:
*Council Member Muriel Bowser (who is overseeing the hearing and is from Ward 4) will be aware of the issue and could even propose legislation to help prevent sexual harassment on Metro.
* Council Member Bowser could question the Director of Metro to find out why our concerns have not been addressed.
* The Director of Metro could be more likely to address our concerns and take actions we recommend such as providing training for employees.
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Call them out, literally.

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On Saturday, EB in New York City posted a story on the blog about how an employee of a truck company harassed her. Both the harasser and the owner of the company, whom she called and spoke to on the phone, didn’t understand how the actions constituted harassment. In her blog post she included the company’s phone number.

Today, when blog reader Beckie saw the phone number, she called. She talked to the owner and he finally agreed that the behavior was inappropriate and said he’d talk to his employees. After I posted all this Facebook, four more people wrote comments saying they called and left messages urging the company to do something about harassment.

Also, a few weeks ago, a couple of emails and phone calls got a Togo’s sandwich television ad pulled because it made light of men flashing women on the street. The exchange also ended with a very nice email from someone at Togo’s.

If you were harassed while at store/movie theater/club/bar, or if you were harassed by a person in a public place who is clearly harassing you during work hours (e.g. s/he has on a work uniform), or if you see an ad that makes light of street harassment/sexual harassment, you can do something! As a customer and consumer, you have a right to contact the business and make a report. Offer suggestions for improvement. Be polite but firm. Then post the story here and include the contact information so some of the blog readers can contact them, too.

Why take the time to do this? Because it can create change. No business wants bad press or a Google trail of blog posts complaining about them. Collectively, we have a lot of power and a strong voice.

If you haven’t faced harassment this way but you want to help, read the recent stories from women in Chicago, London, Brighton, and New York City and use the contact information they provide to reiterate their message: street harassment, sexual harassment is not okay, nor are attitudes or ads that promote or condone such behavior.

We have the right to walk down the street, go into stores, and ride the subway without facing unwanted sexualized attention.

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Snapshot of street harassment stories, news, announcements & tweets: January 29, 2012

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Read stories, news articles, blog posts, and tweets about street harassment from the past week.

** Sign up to receive a monthly e-newsletter from Stop Street Harassment ***

Street Harassment Stories:

Share your story! You can read street harassment stories on the Web at:

Stop Street Harassment Blog

HarassMap Egypt

Resist Harassment Lebanon

Many of the Hollaback sites

In the News, on the Blogs:

Manu Chopra invented a device to help keep women safe in Delhi. Image via BBC

* The Daily News Egypt, “Reports of sexual harassment mar Jan. 25 anniversary“

* CNN, “Malawian women protest after attacks for wearing pants, miniskirts“

* Jezebel, “Why I Punched a Stranger” and the follow up, Sparkle All Day, “The Punch Heard Round The World“

* XO Jane, “Dear Randos, No You Cannot Walk My Dog“

* BBC, “India: Delhi boy invents device to deter attackers“

* IBN Live, “20 held for eve teasing“

* Jezebel, “Guys Explain the Common Catcall“

* Boston Curbed, “Which Neighborhood Is the Worst for Street Harassment?“

Activism Announcements:

New:

* Women and men in Malawi marched to protest a recent spat of street harassment and assaults

* what were you wearing when you got stared at or street harassed? Submit your photo

* Start planning for International Anti-Street Harassment Week, March 18-24

Reminders:

* Sign the Petition: “Demand Justice for Two Men Killed Trying to Stop Street Harassment“

* Read a Baltimore, Maryland, college student’s thesis on street harassment

* The Adventures of Salwa campaign has a hotline for sexual harassment cases in Lebanon: 76-676862.

* In Bangalore, India, there is a helpline for street harassment 080 – 22943225 / 22864023

10 Tweets from the Week:

1. YaraMSaleh Today, some men were trying to make sure that women in #tahrir and in marches are safe, but pigs were still there. #EndSH

2. sokarhanem “@sotsoy: Egyptian men need serious education on how to treat women. Touching someone without permission is a violation of privacy #endsh“

3. RanyaKhalifa Talking & writing about sexual harassment isn’t enough anymore..concrete measures r desperately needed..we need to discuss this NOW..#EndSH

4. MyCrippledEagle Street harassment is about power, is about assuming ownership of someone else’s body.

5.  cairowire the streets of cairo belong to us all. and we all have the right to be free, safe and unmolested — regardless of gender. #humanrights #EndSH

6. nouvellechic: Street harassment is vigilante punishment of a woman for daring to occupy public space. #whosestreets” gender terrorism

7. Psypherize Ladies, get permenant ink with you and use it to mark the harraser. That way they would be easily spotted and dealt with. #Egypt #EndSH

8. kintoall @namivuyo I broke down crying in the middle of the street thinking about all the #harassment and workplace bullying I have been through ME,2

9. HimawariChibi The issue of #streetharassment is like a video game. Women must try different paths/outfits/tactics in order to not lose

10. RanyaKhalifa#Jan25 wasn’t meant 2 liberate men only from indignity..it is meant 4 ALL Egyptians..women in #Egypt need dignity, respect & safety.. #EndSH

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