I shut them both up. I was 21, and me and my girlfriend were going to go out on the town. First we needed some wine to have whilst we got ready. We walk down to the shops, and outside were three males. Two of them comment to each other “they’re sexy” bla bla, as we walk past, I hear the third say, “I’ve seen better.”

Charming. Like our whole purpose in life is to look pretty for you ummmm no. But my friend and I say nothing. As we exit the store the same guy mutters “sluts” just loud enough for us to hear. OK, that’s it.

I whirl round and demand aggressively, “WHAT was that?” This idiot stutters and stammers, he can’t believe I’ve had the guts to say something to him and then replies, “Oh nothing.”

I give him a death stare and snap, “Yeah that’s what I thought.”

My friend and I carry in our journey home, the laughter of this guys’ friends wetting themselves at his humiliation ringing in our ears.

Same night friend and I leave the pub, and a guy shouts, “Show us your tits,” and I shout back “Why don’t you show me yours you fat b***tard.” People around us fall over themselves laughing. If your big enough to dish it out, be big enough to take it back.

Do you have any suggestions for dealing with harassers and/or ending street harassment in general?

If you’re a woman in public, in a crowd/with someone, say something. And make sure it’s nasty and humiliating for the person trying to humiliate you. They won’t do it again. Men, if you see a woman being harassed, stand up for her, tell the guy, “Look, bro, that’s not ok and makes you look like an idiot.” Cat calling and harassing strangers on the street shouldn’t be socially acceptable.

– LM

Location: Queensland, Australia

Which story? How about this one. I was 17 and leaving a mall. Walking to my car in parking lot, a young man with baggy sweatpants followed me to my car. I noticed it and head down, hurried, getting my keys ready to get in and lock up quickly. I had my 4 yr old sister with me and hurried to get her in the backseat. He leaned on the hood of my car and started masturbating. I got in, locked the doors, drove backward as quick as I could, but not before driving forward just a little bit 🙂 Just enough to knock him on his jerk off ass.

Do you have any suggestions for dealing with harassers and/or ending street harassment in general?

It’s not very common where I live – it is rather socially unacceptable for people to be harassed on the street in most parts of Canada. Didn’t stop this particular person, who, when I reported it, I found out had been doing it to others, too.

– Anonymous

Location: Calgary, Canada

I’ve lived in Upper Manhattan, in Inwood, for a year now. This is a mostly un-gentrified Dominican neighborhood. I’m a petite Caucasian woman with red hair and very fair skin; needless to say, I stand out a bit more than I’d like.

I am harassed every single day at all hours in my neighborhood. On my way to work, on my way home, getting groceries; anywhere, anytime. If I come home late at night, I specifically alter my route to avoid streets that I know to expect a lot of harassers to be loitering.

While most of my harassment consists of whistles, hisses, kissing noises, lewd remarks, and a lot of Spanish (which I don’t speak, so I mercifully can’t understand these remarks), I have also had my arms grabbed and been followed by men.

Because of the language barrier, I often just firmly say “NO.” to my harassers. The times I haven’t felt safe enough to address a group of harassers have been the times that I’ve been followed, or the harassing has become louder, more aggressive, and more degrading.

It’s unfortunate that I feel unsafe and uncomfortable in my own neighborhood on a daily basis. I do feel that my harassment is racially charged – my name is NOT “sexy little white girl,” “sexy white mama,” or any of the other horrible nicknames men have found to incorporate my race into a disgusting comment.

I am exhausted by the stress of being outside of my apartment. My plan is to move as soon as I possibly can.

Do you have any suggestions for dealing with harassers and/or ending street harassment in general?

I do plan to begin reporting men who harass me while they are working – delivery drivers, MTA employees (especially), and anyone else I can easily identify their employer. I’m also going to try the cards on the site as a way to silently respond to harassers while making a statement.

– AB

Location: Vermilyea Ave, NYC 10034

30th of May. 3pm. I had just handed my university project in and was going home to relax. On the way home I went into Tesco’s to get some shopping. Nothing out of the ordinary.

However, as I was walking down the street a man passed by me, eyed me up and down and said, “Ooohh… ..I’d love to do you.”

I am fairly used to getting whistled at etc, but for him to actually say that really creeped me out. I ended up turning around and telling him to piss off. But it still made me feel powerless. What was I meant to do? Publicly shame him? Kick him in the nuts? (I was incredibly tempted to do this had I not been carrying six bags of shopping – haha).

But seriously, this isn’t the first time this has happened to me. The stupidest thing was, I looked like complete crap as well. I had been writing constantly to try and get my university work done and was wrecked. I was dressed very plain and quite boyishly, so I really wasn’t looking for attention. I wasn’t even making eye contact at this man, I was looking at the other side of the street.

Eugh. If I was to say that to a man it would be totally unheard of. But I wouldn’t because I’m, you know, sane. Don’t worry though, I cheered up pretty quickly afterwards, a blasting of TLC’s ‘No Scrubs’ seemed to do the trick!

Do you have any suggestions for dealing with harassers and/or ending street harassment in general?

I have no idea. I wish there was a way to end things like this happening, but it seems it has become a social norm to engage in this behaviour.

I feel ashamed that I don’t know what to do. I usually just try my best to ignore it. Granted, it won’t make the problem go away, but I feel a lot better not giving into creeps like that who just want to make others feel small or uncomfortable. At the end of the day, my happiness comes first and I just continue to do what I was going to that day anyways. I’m not going to let them change my plans just because they’re being an asshole.

– Anonymous

Location: Aldgate East, London, UK

I recall on a hot summer day, I was wearing a flowing dress to go with the beautiful weather. There was a man, possibly the age of my father, who loved nothing more than to stare at a fifteen year old girl’s legs. Uncomfortable, I tried not to make eye contact as I slid away from the man who was less than five feet away from me. I exchanged looks with my friend who knew exactly what I was thinking. “What a fucking creep.” As five minutes pass, we try to make small talk, to ignore the man’s blatant staring. My sister- who was sitting next to me glances at the man- to our “surprise” taking photos of us. My sister then stares intensely back at him, and pulls out her phone to take pictures of him to give him a taste of his own medicine. Shamefully, he puts his phone down, but lord-behold he does not stop staring.

Do you have any suggestions for dealing with harassers and/or ending street harassment in general?

Stop being perverts

– Anonymous

Location: Flushing, NY