It was one of those things that feels like nothing when you tell it, but when it’s happening, is so very threatening.

I was walking down a main street, and even at night, you think you’d be safe, but when a man stops what he’s doing (he’s obviously going somewhere, not just hanging around) looks you up and down several times like you’re a piece of meat and deliberately stalks towards you (it sounds fanciful, but stalk is the only work I can think of that describes what he did) and passes by as close to you as he possibly can, you have no idea what he’s going to do.

For several seconds I honestly thought he was about to grab me. Instead he gave a satisfied chuckle as he sauntered off… I’ve never walked home so fast in my life.

– Anonymous

Location: Lewes Road, Brighton, UK

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What about people who get harassed for being ugly? I get laughed out, pointed out and ridiculed by people ranging from kids to old age pensioners. I have also been spat at from a car and had men walk right up into my face to have a good stare at me so they report back to their friends that l am “ugly”.

One of the worst cases of harassment l have experienced was from a car across the road at a roundabout. One of them had its top off as it was summer and he leaned out of the car and began screaming abuse at me. It was totally unprovoked. So was the spitting .

Another time l was walking home in the dark and this group of young men were going into the local train station. Again l was on the other side of the road – One of them stopped and started shouting at me, “Why are you hiding behind your hair? Are you an old hag? Are you an old hag?” He was virtually screaming and again l had done nothing wrong.

I think street harassment also needs to include harassment based on people’s negative reactions to appearances also and equally. My life has been made hell and l know if l tell anyone they won’t believe me.

– LC

Location: Everywhere l walk

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I wasn’t going to post originally but I guess reading other stories got me pretty angry.

I’ve had it a few times – to the shopkeeper casually calling me “sexy” whenever I go in for a redbull or whatever on the way to a lecture, to the builder “pssssshting” me when I walked past, again, on the way to University.

Those are nothing compared to past experiences which I’ll relate now.

There are three, maybe four experiences which really scared me, and still do when I remember them.

I was once waiting for a bus outside my school, at the bus stop in broad daylight (about 4pm) when a guy probably in his late teens – early 20’s, pulled up, rolled the window down and told me to get in his car.

I was obviously stunned, refused, and backed away slightly. He kept on TELLING me to get inside, and after a few minutes, called me a slut and drove away.

About a year or so later, I was waiting for a bus to work, in a different area of the city.

A car pulled up across the road, and a male in his late 30’s got out, crossed the road, and came over to try and engage in conversation.
When ignoring him didn’t work, I told him very clearly that I didn’t wish to speak to him, and he walked away and got back in his car.

In another incident, I had a male pull up, and ask for directions. When they were given, he made out that I should just get in the car and show him, and he’d give me a lift. Do I look that stupid?

Those were all a few years ago, last week, I was actually followed home – and it was terrifying.

I thought I was being paranoid at first as I crossed a road and the guy continued walking – until I came out of a store and he was lurking.
He then followed me for ten minutes, all the while saying, “hey”, “hey girl,” “miss”, and various things.

As I went inside and was unlocking my door (university accommodation, we have a guard inside thankfully), he looked back and smiled, and it infuriated me so much that I ended up hissing “freak” at him.

It’s not so much the catcalls in the street, or even the gropes in nightclubs (in which I’ve poured my drink over few men’s heads) but the more sinister experiences like the ones I’ve had.

It’s absolutely terrifying, and you feel powerless, and like a piece of meat.

After reading past stories from people, I’m not taking it anymore. I’ve been scared before and ignored it – sometimes it doesn’t work, and you get people poking you or just continually talking, but now I aim on yelling/screaming/and just generally drawing as much attention as I can, and hopefully embarrassing the idiot.

– Sarah

Location: Manchester, England

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I was in McDonalds on Tottenham Court Rd. I was queuing to order food and there were two construction workers in the queue next to me . One of them looked at me and loudly said to his colleague, “Look at the handlebar on that. It’s disgusting. She looks like a man.”

I kept quiet and continued queuing . To be honest I was in shock. I paid for my food and went to get ketchup etc. They followed me over, laughing and repeated the same comments. They said, she must be growing it for Movember and walked off laughing I felt physically ill and so upset afterwards.

– S.C.

Location: Mc Dobalds , Tottenham Court Rd

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I was walking down the street with a few friends and a guy yelled at me, “Nice dumper!”

His two friends flanking him thought it was hilarious. I shot him a dirty look, but I was struck speechless by how crass it was. I wish I had said something to him, but at the time I thought that saying anything would feed into his attention-seeking and just result in more laughter and more demeaning language.

– E

Location: 44.231403,-76.481581 on google maps (76 Princess St, Kingston, ON)

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