Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

“I don’t like your kind”

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I was having the most awful commute in the world. It was 2 a.m. and I was waiting for the 4 train on the 59th Street and Lexington Avenue station and had just missed my train by a second. As I was waiting, I was already uncomfortable because there was almost no one on the platform and the few people that were waiting were all men.

I suddenly heard this guy say, “I like white women.” I ignored it as usual because there are always crazy people saying all kinds of thing in the subway. I wasn’t sure if it was directed towards me. Then I heard it again and noticed that a guy is looking straight at me and saying this and is coming closer. He finally says, “I don’t like your kind..” (FYI, I’m brown).

Being a temperamental New Yorker, I wanted to deck him in the face for being racist. However, I held back and before I could take out my cell phone to record this (a tip I learned from hollaback). He stopped and then started back again.

Fearing that it might escalate (although I stayed calm and just didn’t pay him any attention hoping he would go away) I decided to just cab it home. My safety is worth more than a $25 cab ride.

What was really scary has been the hate crime against brown people after 9/11. I was panicking what if this guy pushes me onto the tracks because I’m brown (which happened a few months ago and the victim died). This sort of behavior is unacceptable. And if the guy was mentally ill or had some issues, he needs to get treated before he causes chaos in public. I wish I took a picture, but I will be more prepared if this happens to me again. Just in case, he was an older Latino man wearing a denim cap and a plaid jacket. His skin was light brown and he had light brown eyes. Probably in his 50s.

– Queenie

Location: 59th Street & Lexington Avenue 4 train stop, New York City

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Australia: The Power of Collective Story-Telling

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Melbourne's International Anti-Street Harassment Photowall

This is (belatedly) cross-posted with permission from Hollaback! Melbourne’s blog.

Last week Hollaback! Melbourne launched a series of initiatives as part of our celebration of International Anti -Street Harassment Week.

To the right is the photo wall – comprised of anti-street harassment messages from Melbournians. The messages are powerful. Get a closer look at the photo gallery here!

So why is it important that we engage in collective storytelling? The Hollaback! model of crowd sourcing anonymous stories of harassment, your posting to a photo wall, people participating in a Chalk Walk where messages are written on the pavement and left for others to see – what is the point of all that?

In the past when I have been harassed the experience has been an isolating one. And even though the harassment made me angry/uncomfortable/disgusted/upset I just accepted that these things happened, and that it was just going to be an occasional horrific intrusion in my day to day activities.

The message that harassment was normal was sent early – when I was a young teen men started to honk at me as I walked down the street, and a friend of mine told me that it meant I was hot and it was a compliment. Whoah, feelings of discomfort INVALIDATED.

The feelings I’ve described are part of the normalisation of street harassment – where you’re told or sent the message that it is ok, or alternatively that street harassment might not be ideal but just IS. And therefore you come to accept it (even while hating it!).

So when you engage in collective storytelling, when you engage as part of a city-wide movement like Hollaback! Melbourne, when you engage worldwide and take to the streets to protest street harassment in the same 48 hour period as others around the world you are helping create a new framework for people to think about their past experiences.

You’re helping others to problematize their everyday experiences (as well as all those things being cathartic!). People power is the only way we can end street harassment!

I’ll leave you all with some images form the Chalk Walk last Saturday on Sydney Road – by all accounts it was a wonderful experience. Passersby engaging, people stopping and chalking, and some seriously rad messages. Gallery of all images to come! Happy Friday everyone!

 

HBChalk 1 HBChalk 3 HbChalk 4 HBChalk 5 HBChalk 6

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“I am a grandma, for crying out loud”

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I am a 46-year-old woman. I dress conservatively and changed from a skort to pants before leaving the house. While waiting for a bus on 118 Avenue in Edmonton, two separate cars with 60+ year-old men circled the block eying me and invited me into their vehicles. I was wearing no makeup and flaps. I am a grandma, for crying out loud. I felt unsafe, dirty, and angry. If i had a gun in my hand oh boy would there be hell to pay on that city street. How can I dress to avoid this?

– Anonymous

Location: 118 ave Edmonton Alberta, Canada

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“Please stop harassing the ladies walking down the street”

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Went the Grand Pacific Hotel construction site today and read this notice:

“PLEASE STOP HARASSING THE LADIES WALKING DOWN THE STREET.

WE KNOW IT’S JUST FUN TO YOU FULLAS BUT TO THE LADIES IT’S NOT ALWAYS SO FUNNY.

WE HAVE HAD MORE THAN ONE COMPLAINT , IF IT CONTINUES, SOMEONE WILL BE MADE AN EXAMPLE AND TERMINATED!! (NO JOKE)”

I gotta say, I appreciate the fact that this construction company has made some sort effort in PREVENTING STREET HARASSMENT by it’s workers.

– Shyana, shared via the “Take Back the Streets” Facebook group

Location: The Fiji Islands

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“I have to be on guard”

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I was walking to the train station to get to work this morning, when this dreadlocked guy walked by me and thumped his fist against his chest. I guess he assumed that because I also had dreadlocks that I’d reply back in kind, but I instead said, “Good morning.” This caused him to go, “Huh? Huh?”

I’ve seen this guy before a few weeks prior. I opened the door of a nearby 7-11 and he just walked right through it without saying “Thank you” and went to talk to his friend hanging out outside as if I didn’t exist. I said, “You’re welcome!” sarcastically a bunch of times until I finally got a “Thank you” from him.

Back to today. I don’t think that this guy was following me since he walked over to the street a block away (whereas I walk down another street and then turn towards this street when I get closer to the train station), but once I was on the same street he started yelling “Yo!” and “Psst!” as if he wanted my attention. He was not going to get it, but I kept looking back to see what this clod was up to, keeping one step ahead of him. I managed to get to the train station and on a train, and thankfully did not see this guy enter the train station.

This incident made me uncomfortable, and since I have a feeling that I may see this guy again, I have to be on guard. By his weird reaction to my “Good morning” and his lack of sense at the 7-11 a few weeks ago, I get the impression that this guy’s not in his right mind. I didn’t feel that this guy’s behavior warranted calling the police, but if it does get to that point I have no problem doing such.

– Anonymous

Location: Courthouse area (Arlington, VA)

Share your street harassment story today.

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