My friends and I have been stared at and such multiple times by older men whilst walking around downtown before, but there are a few times that stick out in my mind:

Once my cousin and I were walking around and taking some pictures on my camera with the pretty buildings in the background, (we’re both 16) and she wanted me to step up and sit on a ledge for one of the pictures. I attempted to climb up and sit, and right then a wind blew and my flowy skirt flew right up for a second. I panicked and grabbed my skirt, hoping no one saw, but a group of construction workers walking by saw it and one of them winked at me. I felt so violated.

A friend and I were also hanging around the same area another time when we realized that two older men we had seen taking pictures in the distance had snuck up to a bush 20 feet behind us and were pretending to take pictures of the scenery around us but were actually zooming the camera in on our butts. They ran as soon as we glared at them. I am so sick of old perverts ruining everything.

– Anonymous

Location: Downtown Atlanta, GA

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
Check out the new book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers!

Yesterday evening I was outside WinCo Foods 7330 NE Butler St, Hillsboro, Oregon. I was at the store entrance picking some plants. A very calm, collected normal looking white male came close to me and said inappropriate sexual sentence about their intention to do something sexual to me. I did not want to believe what my ears heard (being an international non-native English speaker i am used to making sure that I understand exactly what people are asking/ saying to me) so i said almost in disbelief, “What?” He repeated the inappropriate sexual words. I was shocked, startled, angry.

“What did you just say to me?” I asked loudly and a few people entering or leaving the store heard me and started looking at us. Then the guy loudly said, “I just said you look pretty.” I told him, “No this is not what you said,” and he started moving away and I almost grabbed his collar but he took off running. I was really mad and shouted, “Stop right there…why are you running away like a coward if you didn’t say/do anything inappropriate.”

People carried on with their business but one kind young lady came to me and told me to come back to the well lit store entrance and be safe, she helped me calm down and made sure that I was ok and feeling safe. I felt insulted, threatened and many thoughts came to my mind like was this man following me? Did he know where I have parked my car? What if they come back with a weapon or something. I reported the incident to police and gave the description of the man.

What the man did was totally unacceptable and inappropriate. I suspect he targeted me because I am a brown female. I am also very petite so he might have thought that I am incapable of confronting a male. I hope this person will never repeat it because they can be charged with 1) harassing someone because of their nationality/color, 2) picking a fight/provoking someone to act violently and 3) disrupting peace at a public place. All these charges can lead them to jail.

– Anonymous

Location: WinCo Foods 7330 NE Butler St, Hillsboro, Oregon

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
Check out the new book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers!

A story I have to share happened a few days ago. I was walking from my house going to the library and I passed by a group of men and one of them said, “Damn shawty I’ve been waiting on you all day” and i ignored him then he shouted out “AYE GIRL COME HERE YOU PRETTY! WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU IGNORING ME!” And i just kept on walking.

– C.T.

Location: Bronx, NY

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
Check out the new book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers!

This summer my mom and I were out walking in the woods. It was warm outside and a couple of guys my age were sitting by the lake. As we passed they started catcalling, commenting on my ass. “Can you wiggle your ass a little bit more?!” was just one of the things they shouted.

I was humiliated, especially since my mom heard it all. For the rest of the summer I didn’t walk past that spot again because I was scared they would be there.

– Anonymous

Location: Sweden

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
Check out the new book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers!

I recovered from Ovarian cancer a year and a half ago and wear a wig due to my hair just growing back. I was walking today in Seattle going to work, and I crossed the street and a jittery man tapped me uncomfortably and I told him to please leave me alone.

I then heard him say he should remove my headgear, ran up behind me and snatched my hat and wig off my head. I was humiliated. He was about an inch from my face and I grabbed my wig and hat from him, and pushed him off me and ran to my building and luckily it is a key entry. I was so scared and angry.

There were about 50 people around and nobody helped me. I was so distraught, I had to leave work in a taxi a few hours later.

I am so mad at Seattle, and so hurt that nobody would help me, and all I was trying to do was go to work.

– Anonymous

Location: On the corner of 4th Ave S and Jackson St, right by the bus stops. Seattle, WA

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
Check out the new book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers!