I will share my story about street harassment too. But first I want to say that my English and the grammar is not perfect because I’m from another land.

So let me start.. It was an evening in summer, I think it was 8 pm but it wasn’t dark or anything so I hadn’t any concern for walking alone home from my shopping trip. I have leaved the train and saw two young man. They looked at me with a weird look. I know this look because it happens often. I am a young girl and a lot of people and friends said to me I could be a model cause I am so pretty and have such a nice body and I look so much older than I am and a lot of other stuff.. I think that’s the reason why I am so often confronted with street harassment when I am in public.

So back to the two man.. I started to walk much faster and then the one man had shouted to me “Girl, take off your glasses!” and the other one “Ouhh, shaking your beautiful, long hair!” and they laughed dirty. I walked and walked and it wasn’t any person here – only me and the two man behind me. I panicked. I phoned my Dad and said that I would come home in 10 Minutes. I thought when the man do anything to me and I wouldn’t came home my Dad would have trouble and would search for me.. After I phoned my Dad the two man weren’t there anymore. I was lucky that they went away but I have felt so bad about the street harassment. I am a woman and NOT an object!

But the other sad thing was, that I told the story to my friends and they haven’t understand me or my anxiety. They said only “It is not so bad” and “What’s your problem?” and other stuff.

– Anonymous

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for more idea

I am a 29-year-old woman from Argentina. I have lived in different countries but I have never suffered street harassment as much as during my teenage years in my hometown. The following is a list of situations I experienced since I started commuting and using public transportation on my own, at age eleven:

–    Men showed me their genitals.
–    Men touched and grabbed my ass.
–    Men yelled, talked and whispered the most disgusting and imaginative sexual and offensive words one could ever imagine. Honestly, how can they invent such phrases?
–    While sitting in the aisle seat of the bus, “I felt something on my shoulder”. But the bus was crowded, so “I wasn’t sure”. So, I didn’t say anything.
–    While sitting in the window seat of the bus, men sitting beside me touched my leg. But it was very subtle, so “I wasn’t sure”. So, I didn’t say anything.
–    Men followed me in the street.
–    I have been afraid of walking by any group of men, because they have always said something, or stared at me, and made me uncomfortable. But I didn’t want them to say anything. I wanted them to disappear.

Most of this things happened for the first time before I had ever kissed a boy. And I would go home crying. And I would not do specific things in order to avoid these kind of situations. But, even though I know almost all of the women I know have experienced some if not all of these types of street harassment, what scared me the most was how naturalized it was in many of them. I felt I was wrong, because I was weak and too sensitive and I wasn’t able to handle something that was “normal.”

– GD

Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for more idea

I moved to Washington Heights three months ago, optimistic that I would be living in a safe and family-oriented environment.  Our broker, landlord, and several people in the street were very complimentary of the neighborhood.  I had high hopes.  And everyday since I moved in, it’s been a nonstop harassment party for the men that lurk on the street.  They come up to me, get in my face, whisper in my ear, cat call across the street, smooch at me as I walk by.  Who knew “God bless you” could be the worst thing I hear all day?  When it’s dripping with prurience, it’s disgusting and threatening.

I can’t even dress the way I want to (we’re talking nice jeans, nice top) unless I’m with my husband because of the attention it draws.

The worst of it is, their words & advancements are intimidating, weakening, crippling even.  I feel powerless.  Thank you for giving me hope that we can fight this.

To an outsider, this may seem a petty nuisance, but when it affects where you walk in your neighborhood, what you wear, how you carry yourself in the public sphere, it’s impinging on your rights!  It’s an insidious crime.  I hope we can all stop it, at least for the next generation.

Optional: What’s one way you think we can make public places safer for everyone?

Education, classes & workshops for parents to learn ways to teach their children the respectful, and more effective ways to pursue people they’re interested in.

– Anonymous

Location: 162nd & Broadway Washington Heights, New York, NY

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for more idea

 

I’m only sixteen years old and have been honked, and whistled at, I’ve had sexist, sexually explicit comments, and kissing noises made, as well as yelled at me by men in their late 30s and above, MORE THAN 10 TIMES IN MY LIFETIME. This doesn’t make me feel confident or a lady, this makes me feel disgusted, disrespected, and lowers my confidence. I can’t wear jeans and a crew neck shirt without some guy saying something vulgar to me or constantly eying me as though I’m some trashy object.

– Anonymous

Location: Bus stop and walking home in San Diego, CA

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for more idea

I’ve been street harassed lately. Some guys call me out as “Indian” “farmer” and “thug boy” only because I’m brunette. Women call me out as “looks like a child” “weirdo” and “autistic boy” because I avoid glancing other people in the streets. I feel demoralized and weak. I also feel more uncomfortable in the streets so I’d rather stay at home.

Optional: What’s one way you think we can make public places safer for everyone?

Posting ads in the buildings rooftops showing common slurs. That’d make people aware of this issue.

– Anonymous

Location: Colombia

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for more idea