Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

End-Of-Summer 2017 News Round-Up

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New Research:

A new study conducted in the MENA region sheds light on why men street harass.

A study published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health found strong links between women’s experience of sexual violence – including street harassment — and poor mental health.

A study in the British Journal of Social Psychology shows street harassment negative impacts how women think about themselves.

 

Global News:

Women in Lebanon speak out against street harassment.

Australian women are receiving unsolicited “dick pics” via AirDrop.

Reports of sexual harassment are up on Brussels’ (Belgium) public transport.

Pressure is mounting for music venues in Canada to address sexual harassment.

A man in China stabbed a woman on the bus after she protested his harassment.

Young women in Egypt face harassment in public spaces and restrictions at home.

In France, the Gender Equality Minister wants to outlaw street harassment.

A new survey shows harassment on public transport is rampant in Chennai, India.

A teenager’s account of harassment went viral in Italy.

A new cartoon character tells people to report street harassment in Japan.

There was a death penalty ruling in a forced public stripping case in Kenya.

There’s a new anti-harassment campaign in Lebanon, #mesh_basita.

The gang rape of a woman on a bus in Morocco led to protests and promises of action by the Prime Minister.

Stop Straatintimidatie launched a new anti-harassment campaign in the Netherlands.

A new fine and jail time will be enforced on street harassment in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

42 gay men in Nigeria were arrested simply for organizing a HIV awareness event in a public venue. Sign a petition for their release.

Combatting street harassment in Pakistan.

A senator in the Philippines will propose to criminalize street harassment.

A woman in South Africa wrote about wishing she was a man so she didn’t face harassment.

There’s a new dress code being enforced in Uganda, including against mini-skirts.

From Uganda to Tajikistan, women are fighting to enjoy the freedom of bicycling.

A Labour MP in the UK has suggested women-only train carriages – but the idea is insulting.

Women in Bristol (UK) are mapping street harassment.

“Cheer Up Luv” is a new UK-based photo series project.

Women of color in Washington, D.C. (USA) organize against street harassment.

Why street harassers speak the same language across the USA.

Latina and African American women in the USA created a choreo-film on street harassment.

A guitarist in the USA stopped his performance after witnessing sexual harassment in the audience.

American actress Ashley Judd calls out “everyday sexism”.

A high percentage of Missoula (MT, USA) patrons experience sexual harassment.

 

Powerful Pieces:

“My body doesn’t belong to you.”

“The thrill and fear of ‘Hey, Beautiful’”

“I don’t accommodate uncontrolled men”

“9 types of street harassment you’ve probably experiences if you’re a woman”

“After fighting off mid-run attack, she’s using her voice to help others”

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Needed: Research participants in California

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A graduate student in California studying Art Therapy is recruiting individuals to take part in her project — they must be between the ages of 18-64, live in California, identify as female and have experiences with street harassment. Part of her research includes a brief art directive in the form of sidewalk chalking and she’s looking for people to help! Here is more information.

 

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Thank You, Taylor Swift!

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Have you been following Taylor Swift’s lawsuit the last few days? If not, here is context via an excerpt of an article I wrote for Huffington Post a few days ago:

“Pop star Taylor Swift testified a few days ago about David Mueller, a former radio DJ, allegedly groping her backstage during a meet-and-greet after an event in 2013. Groping is a form of sexual violence. When her team reported the incident to his company, they launched their own investigation and fired him.

If her allegations are true, and I believe they are, then Swift’s experience is not unlike that of millions of Americans. In 2014, my organization Stop Street Harassment worked with national survey firm GfK to conduct a nationally representative survey about sexual harassment and violence in public spaces. Alarmingly, 23 percent of women and 8 percent of men nationwide had experienced some form of unwanted sexual touching while they were in public spaces, including streets, buses, trains, stores, bars, concert venues and parks…

Another common reason why people stay silent about groping is they fear being disbelieved or blamed for the incident. Countless women have written on the Stop Street Harassment site about encountering these kinds of responses when sharing their stories of harassment with friends, relatives or police. Even though she is a megastar, it is telling that these are both responses Swift faced. She had the fortitude to refute them in court saying, “This is what happened, it happened to me, I know it was him,” and “I’m not going to allow you or your client to make me feel in any way that this is my fault, because it isn’t.”

Yesterday, Swift won her lawsuit and today she announced she is donating money to organizations that work with sexual violence survivors.

Via ABC News:

“After a Denver jury found that a preponderance of evidence showed that former radio DJ David Mueller had groped the pop star, Swift said in a statement that her four-year ordeal, which included a two-year-long trial process, was for “anyone who feels silenced by a sexual assault.”

“I acknowledge the privilege that I benefit from in life, in society and in my ability to shoulder the enormous cost of defending myself in a trial like this,” the 27-year-old singer said in a statement obtained by ABC News. “My hope is to help those whose voices should also be heard. Therefore, I will be making donations in the near future to multiple organizations that help sexual assault victims defend themselves.”

Two organizations working with victims of assault told ABC News that they have already benefited from Swift taking on Mueller in court [including RAINN].”

Thank you, Swift, for using your platform in this way and for standing so tall in the face of abuse and disbelief. You are an inspiration and a role model.

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Apply to be a SSH Blog Correspondent | Sept. to Dec. 2017

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Apply to become part of the third 2017 SSH Blog Correspondents cohort from September to December 2017!

During these four months, correspondents must commit to writing one blog post per month about street harassment issues in their community, region or country. This means four posts total. The topics could include incidents of street harassment in the news, activism to stop it, interviews with activists, and street harassment in popular culture, traditions or the news.

We aim to have geographic diversity among our cohort members and people of all genders, ages, backgrounds and locations can apply. You do not have to apply in English (or write your blog posts in English) if another language is more comfortable for you.

Deadline is Aug. 30. Position begins Sept. 5, 2017.

This is an unpaid, volunteer position. Our blog receives around 30,000 unique visitors per month. The Facebook page, where many of your articles will be posted, has nearly 40,000 likes.

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