I work for a company that applies foils on windows, since it’s physical work my boss always tells me and my other colleagues to wear comfortable clothes such as long trousers and our t-shirt from the company itself. It’s definitely not a job to wear your high heels and a fancy dress. Other than that, my boss wants to prevent me and my other female colleague to get harassed during work. Me and my colleague wear male clothing since well, it’s physical work, we don’t care how we look like during work.

Unfortunately, harassment still happens, even when I’m wearing my work-clothing. Yesterday i had to leave work earlier since i didn’t felt good, my boss also saw I looked pretty pale and said he didn’t mind me leaving a bit earlier. I walk back to the office where all my stuff was, at the stoplight, i notice two guys who caught there eyes on me, who also started making faces at me and also pointed a little a me, like they wanted to say to me ‘we have our eyes on you’. I knew they would yell something at me once the light would turn green and indeed, once they drove by they yelled some stuff that sounded like ‘HOW MUCH?!’ and ‘HEEYYYY SEXY!!’

I just walked over the street like nothing happened, but inside I was raging. What was I supposed to do? If I would’ve put up my middle finger I could make things even worse. I walked back to the office so i could rest a little before my mom would pick me up, i got a call from my other boss if i could check if her husband was still at the workplace since i didn’t pick up his phone. When i was done checking on him i walked back to the office, hoping nobody would yell something at me, it happened AGAIN. While crossing the road, a car with a whole bunch of guys made animal noises at me while driving by, it only happened in a few seconds, but i can still hear them laughing, probably because of my shocked face. It didn’t happen again that day, but i was so pissed off.

Even in my brother’s old jogging trousers, an old black sweater, no make up on, my hair in a simple ponytail and with a pale, sick face i still get harassed. I don’t understand, why do people feel the absolute need to harass me even when i don’t look attractive and when i clearly look sick? I wonder what these people think, i honestly think when they see me is: ‘Oh look, someone with a vagina, let’s ruin her day by shouting some sexist stuff at her!’

It honestly doesn’t matter what you are wearing, or even if you look sick or not, IT STILL HAPPENS.

– Anonymous

Location: Belgium

An officer drove his police car up to me as I was walking home in broad daylight. He rolled down his window to say, “Can I ask you a question?” I stopped and nodded my head, never expecting that the question this on-duty police officer wanted to ask me was, “Are you single?”

I quickly walked away as he and his partner drove off laughing.

– Anonymous

Location: 74th street, 42nd ave, Elmhurst Queens 11373

I was on the night bus in east London after a party coming home about half three. I was with my boyfriend and there were a few other people on the bus. There was one woman sitting by herself. When two men got on the bus, one clocked her straight away and made a bee line for her. He sat next to her on the empty seat while his friend sat behind them (there were loads of seats he could have chosen including the empty one by his friend).

The man struck up a conversation asking her if she was French. When she said no, he asked her if she was Spanish, then Italian and then she stopped replying and turned her face away from him while he continued to try to engage her in conversation.

I couldn’t just leave it so I said, “I don’t think she wants to talk to you, why don’t you respect the fact she’s not here for you to engage in conversation with, she’s on the bus just trying to go from A to B.”

She turned to me and gave me the most relieved, grateful smile.

He however was aghast that someone should challenge his behaviour and him and his friend both turned round and started yelling things like, “And who are you? Why are you getting involved.”

I told them to see it from a woman’s point of view, she is by her self at half three in the morning when two men surround her and she is forced to engage in conversation that this is intimidating behaviour. The man next to her carried on talking to her as she kept her face turned away as carried on ignoring him while his friend was saying, “It’s not that late, get your phone out and show me the time.”

He was also being really aggressive towards my boyfriend who was also speaking up for the woman. I had to stop him from speaking though as both men were getting aggressive in their tone towards him. I carried on however interrupting the man who was talking to the woman about respecting her personal space and she’s not his plaything on the bus to pass the time with.

When it came to our stop the man sat next to her (the main harasser) proclaimed, “Thank god.”

I again interrupted him with, “Yes, thank god for women like me who speak up for other women who must deal with sexual and street harassers like you who won’t take no for an answer.”

This actually seemed to hit a note with him, his face dropped as I said those words and he really seemed like he took it in and felt slightly guilty.

I really from the bottom of my heart hope I’ve opened his eyes.

– Nadine

Location: London, UK

Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem.

Driving with the windows down, I pulled up beside a pickup truck at a stop light. The two men inside the truck began whistling at me and laughing. I turned off my radio, turned to them and said, “You know, it’s really offensive when men whistle at a woman like she’s an animal. I don’t appreciate that. What you’re doing is called street harassment and it is unacceptable.”

The driver said, “I’m sorry ma’am. I’ll stop tonight.”

In my experience, his response was very atypical yet awesome! Usually when I talk back to street harassers they’re either shocked into silence or tell me to f*ck off. It never discourages me from speaking my mind, though. I have become fiercely protective of my sense of physical and emotional security, so when a stranger gets in my emotional or physical space I fight back with words.

I have dozens of stories like this. Stories of men commenting on my body parts while I’m jogging. Stories of men making sexual comments to me simply because I was there and a woman. A story about a man who started unzipping his pants while walking toward me outside the library one afternoon. Men who’ve grabbed my butt on crowded streets and subways. On and on and on. I used to be to afraid to say anything, but not anymore.

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

Street harassment can occur very quickly and instantly makes me feel fearful and angry, so it helps to be prepared to respond. I’ve found it helpful to practice certain phrases (“I am a human being, not an object for your pleasure”, “My body is none of your business”, “What you’re doing is called street harassment and it is unacceptable”, etc…), that way I’m more likely to speak up and respond to someone who is harassing me.

I also discuss street harassment with my male friends and try to educate them on what women experience on a daily basis, asking them to become allies.

– Emily Harris

Location: Sarasota, FL

Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem.